Beast Wars Zero
by Maximus Wheeljack
Summary: The end of Beast Wars Zero and the start of Apocalypse Song. Please review.
1. Chapter 1

**Beast Wars Zero**

**Part I:**

**The Best Laid Plans**

Megatron sullenly stood there as the elevator began its long decent through the Predacon Citadel. The overbearing general leaned back against the heavy glass wall which gave a spectacular view of _Crystalline Macross_, the center hub for the mostly Predacon populated city known as Kobalt Chromina. His highly polished broad frame glistened in the single overhead light that was provided by the ceiling's lighting fixture in the elevator. Megatron was religiously fanatical about keeping his appearance superb; the nano-cleansing made his battle scars more visible to those around him, especially those who questioned his devotion to the Predacons. To the proud Predacon general, these scars were his medals; they were symbols of the respect that he has fought for and earned from his subordinates and the Tripredacus itself. Megatron's underlings and inner circle completely understood his reasoning for proudly displaying the scars of war; to be a Predacon meant that you must earn respect through survival, and Megatron believed that he was, above all else, a survivor.

Megatron glanced over at the other figure standing opposite of him in the elevator. The tall black Predacon stood there with his arms crossed and silently stared at the door, refusing to acknowledge Megatron's presence at all. The figure, completely colored in black with deep red stripes along the length of his arms and legs, could feel Megatron's optics scanning over his frame throughout the entire ride.

A smirk came over Megatron's face as he began to recognize the Predacon standing next to him. He rubbed his chin as he leisurely leaned there and spoke in a cold, yet calculated, tone. "You're Atrocity, yes?"

The black figure gave no response to Megatron's inquiry. The tall Predacon stood perfectly still as Megatron approached the figure.

"Yes," Megatron said deeply. "You _are_ Atrocity. A Predacon of your . . . _caliber_ is easily recognizable indeed." Megatron walked around the hulking figure and intently glared at the Predacon. "I assure you that you are truly a steadfast figure of power."

Completely disgusted with the sniveling comments from Megatron, the Predacon turned to face him. Unlike most other Transformers, this Predacon had no color to his optics; they were completely black. "Do not think that I am blind to your treachery and ulterior motives, Megatron," the Predacon said in a bitter and deliberate manner. "A Predacon of _your_ fashion does not go unnoticed either." The Predacon stepped back and looked directly down into Megatron's optics. "The illustrious 'Megatron,' as you have so eloquently dubbed yourself. According to your tech-files at Iacon, you consider it to be a 'tribute' to the father of the ancient Decepticon faction, am I correct?"

Megatron nodded at the brooding figure and smiled. "Yes," he replied. Megatron placed his hands over his chest. "I'm truly flattered that a Predacon of your _stature_ took the time to scan my files. Yes. You are a true master of the art of warfare." Megatron took another step closer to his fellow Predacon and looked up into his optics. "And it is Atrocity, correct?"

"Correct," he replied.

"The Tripredacus thinks highly of you," Megatron added. "Yes. There are even rumors amongst the 'lowly' masses of you joining the council." Megatron's smile broadened. "Tell me, is there any truth to that?" he asked. "It's highly unlikely that the members of the Tripredacus are seeking applicants to replace themselves."

Atrocity faced the door again and waited for the elevator to stop. "You babble on like an idiot, Megatron," Atrocity stated sharply in an effort to squish Megatron's conspiracy theory. "And here I am, thinking that you were _far_ above such _petty_ games and childish gossip." He looked up and saw that the elevator was reaching the bottom of the Citadel. "I'm truly touched by our conversation today, Megatron," Atrocity said sarcastically. "Unfortunately, this is my stop."

"Ironic," Megatron replied. "This is where I get off as well."

The door slid open and revealed the base of the Predacon Citadel. The floor to the level was dismal and gray; the polish had been worn off by the many footsteps of Predacons who went about their cyclical routines. The lights were dim and continuously flickered as technicians became frustrated with fixing the machinery yet again; Cybertron was still experiencing energy routing difficulties even after the Autobots reformatted the routing tubes throughout the planet.

Such was the dreary and mundane life of those who called themselves Predacons; each one was secretly resentful of the lifestyle that both the Autobots and Maximals had enjoyed. This was the reasoning behind the rise and reformation of the Predacons, mainly composed of the surviving members of the Predacon faction that managed to adapt to life after the war with the Dread. Many Predacons who were created after the Autobot/ Decepticon Alliance (the signing of the Cybertronia Pax Covenant) and took their heritage seriously, such as Megatron did, considered themselves to directly be descendants of the Decepticons and that it was their right to rule Cybertron.

"Disgusting" Megatron exclaimed as he walked past the struggling technicians. "We strive to better the existence of our people and what do we get in the end?" He paused for a moment as he shook his head in aggravation. "Nothing Yes, nothing at all!" Megatron rubbed the temple of his head and looked down the hallway. "I did not sacrifice my existence only to be treated like downtrodden vermin! Insecticons were treaded better than we are!"

Atrocity walked over to Megatron and looked at the technicians working on the power grid. "This is our existence," he said. "And you are correct; we should not settle for a life such as this." The black Predacon walked over to the workers and knelt down to help them. "We should not struggle for the same accommodations that the Maximals enjoy." He fixed the circuitry grid with his laser scalpel in his right index finger and the hall lights instantly came on with a few sparks from each bulb. "The Maximal Elders have stifled us with their hollow words and promises of equality, and we get nothing."

A Predacon walked over to both Atrocity and Megatron. "So what are we gonna do about that?" he asked. "It's not like the Tripredacus is doin' much about it."

Megatron squinted and glared at the wall. "Yes," he remarked. "They do nothing at all." He turned and looked down the hallway where the Tripredacus Chamber of Council was. "It is time that we address our situation with our 'wise' statesmen."

* * *

Tarantulas cracked his knuckles as the Tripredacus Council paused for a moment to consider the long-term ramifications of the actions that they were about to take. The Predacon scientist finally saw the opportunity that he had been waiting for since his awakening from the void of his long slumber. Deep within his spark, Tarantulas feared that they would not reach an agreement about his proposition, but he drooled over the possibilities that loomed in the foreseeable future. 

_Finally, after all this waiting, I can begin anew_ he thought to himself. _I've kept this pitiful charade going for far too long, but that has finally paid off_. Tarantulas smiled realizing that he had now fed the council enough information into manipulating them into the position that he had long desired. _Just one more thing left to do_.

The first member of the Tripredacus turned to face Tarantulas. "And so you believe that _he_ should be dealt with?" he asked the Predacon.

A look of deep concern came over Tarantulas's face. "Indeed, exalted one." _Arrogant bastards_ he thought. The other two members of the Tripredacus leaned on their table and looked down at Tarantulas. "If he is to continue with the direction that he is heading, then we, as a Predacon race, will severely be hampered in our efforts to complete our ultimate goal. What we need is subterfuge and deception, and he jeopardizes that with his idiotic ramblings of a civil war."

"And how are we to ensure that he will no longer pose a threat to our objectives?" the second member asked. "We do not possess the ability to deal with a situation like this."

"I agree," the last member said in a strong tone. "Many Predacons buy into his theories of 'divine right' to inherit Cybertron; they think that it somehow gives them a sense of purpose." He paused for a moment and looked at the other two members. "Should we deal with him, then there would surely be an outcry from many of the lower cast of our breed thereby creating suspicion from the Maximal Council of Elders."

Tarantulas smiled again. "Why, let the Maximals handle it of course." Tarantulas stepped toward the elevated podium where the Tripredacus was seated. "They do nothing but go on about how meddlesome some of the renegade generals are. This truce will provide us with the opportunity to be rid of that overbearing buffoon." The Predacon scientist smiled behind his mandibles and rubbed his hands together. "In exchange for our own ability to govern ourselves, all we have to do is provide them with the Predacon who's decided to make this 'difference in governing philosophy' his own personal war."

"His actions _are_ detrimental to our goals," the center placed member of the council said to the other two. "Perhaps it is time that we dealt with him for the ability to proceed with our own schedule of events."

_Indeed_ Tarantulas thought. _Soon father. Soon enough._

_

* * *

_

Megatron reached the thick bulkhead door that led into the Tripredacus chamber. The Predacon symbol was deeply engraved on the door and painted a very light green. Megatron looked at the door just beyond the Ultra-con guard who was there to provide protection for the Tripredacus Council during their assemblies. Megatron looked up at the towering guard and put on his best smile.

"So Thug," Megatron said slyly. "I assume that the Tripredacus is busy at the moment."

The tall, green Predacon nodded in agreement with Megatron. "I'm aware of your scheduled conference with the members, Megatron." He pointed to a bench on the side of the wall. "Now take a seat. They'll be done soon enough."

Megatron walked over to the bench and brushed off the dust before he sat down. He did not like the fact that he was being ordered around by a lowly security guard, especially by one of the throwback Ultra-cons who were employed by the Tripredacus in an effort to scare the rest of the Predacons into following their orders.

As he sat there on the bench, Megatron leaned over, glanced at the floor, and kicked the ground.

_Damn_.

* * *

Megatron stood there next to the other two Predacon generals that were summoned to the Tripredacus chamber. He stepped forward and walked toward the levitating podium where the three members of the Tripredacus Council sat. All three members of the Council looked at the three gathered Predacons who stood there silently. 

"We're pleased with the fact that each of you took the time to put your 'personal agendas' aside and make it to this meeting," the first members said sarcastically as he clasped his hands together. His frame was red and glistened in the lighting. His elbows, knees, and other joints had white coloring on them. His face had white markings as well which colored underneath his eyes and on the bridge of his nose. "Although it has taken us quite a significant amount of time, we've finally reached a tentative settlement which ensures that the Maximals will allow us the ability to _finally_ govern ourselves."

Megatron sneered as the words came out of the council member; he could tell that his tone was belittling him and his two Predacon comrades. The mere thought of Maximal acceptance for him and his peers disgusted him completely. "Repulsive," he remarked letting the Tripredacus know that he did not care for their politics.

All three members of the Tripredacus Council immediately looked directly at Megatron. "And what exactly does that mean, Megatron?" the green council member asked. He was slim and had a single yellow visor that covered his optics. There were two transparent wings that he had folded behind his back to be able to sit down. "We had hoped that with the new 'arrangement' the animosity that we hold against the Maximals would be brushed aside; you no longer need to put yourself and your troops into harm's way."

Megatron smiled and looked up at the members of the Council. He saw this as the opportunity that he needed to plead his case for a full-on revolution against the Maximals for Predacon equality. He rubbed his hands together and carefully began to orchestrate the speech that he had been preparing for over half of his existence.

"For too long we have been oppressed by our 'better-half' Maximal siblings. Our Predacon brothers and sisters squander their lives vainly attempting to make our accommodations better while the Maximals sit back and enjoy the splendors of their existence." He turned to face his peers standing behind him. "We've fought and leaked orn after orn to make our lives better, and constantly our efforts are always hampered by the 'righteous' Maximals and their hypocritical belief of superiority; they preach equality on one orn and practice subjugation on the other. How dare they think that they have the right to dictate the future! Our future!" He turned and faced the Tripredacus Council. "This is outrageous! We bow to their wishes afraid of what consequences we may have to endure. You pass empty legislation that allows us to cower in the depths of the city and hide in the lowest parts of Cybertron. We should not have to scour the dismal parts of Cybertron in order to survive. This must change, and it must do so now!" He walked behind the two Predacons who were standing on the floor with him. "Our race needs a voice of _power_, of _understanding_, and of _revolution_!"

The three members looked at each other and smiled. "Please continue, Megatron," the green member said as he waived his hands in front of him. "I'm sure that we _all_ want to hear your historical point of view on how 'incompetent' we are and have been."

"Yes," Megatron replied. He pointed to the council members who sat back in their chairs. He made it clear that he was addressing them as a complete group, addressing nobody in particular. "You _should_ want to hear this because you have done absolutely _nothing_ but continuously stagnate our growth as a species! While we do naught, we suffer! There is no possible excuse for why we need to cower like uneducated protoforms. This administration needs to be dissolved! And it needs to be done so now!" Megatron turned to face his two peers again. "Both of you know how it is. We command troops that fear political punishment from a government that we have not elected! We lead soldiers and citizens who know that the voice of change is the voice of treason." He looked at each of the Predacon generals with a glare that could cut through any metal in existence. "Deep down in your sparks you know that I am right when I say that this must stop here and now!" Megatron slammed his fist onto his opened palm and quickly turned to face the Tripredacus.

All three members of the Tripredacus Council clapped in a sarcastic acceptance of Megatron's speech. "Brilliant," replied the red Predacon who stood up and looked at Megatron. "You've finally surpassed the excellence of you predecessor."

Megatron took two steps forward and glared at all of the members of the Tripredacus Council. "And just what exactly does that mean?" he yelled toward the three members.

The first member looked down from the floating podium and squinted at Megatron. "It means, 'omnipotent' Megatron, that we've finally had enough of your petty nonsense. This slag of 'revolution' and 'superiority' has run its course with us." The other two members of the Tripredacus stood up and looked down upon the Predacon general. "And now, 'almighty' Megatron, you have officially run out of the slack that we have graciously given you." He stood there and continued to look at Megatron.

The middle member rubbed his hands together. He was a deep purple and had black on his wrists where they were surrounded by silver claws. "It is time that we reign in your reckless abandon."

Megatron sneered and clenched his teeth. "Reckless abandon?" He paused for a moment to look at the members of the Tripredacus Council. "I've done nothing but attempt to regain what is left of our pride! If you want to talk of abandonment, I think that you should take a look at yourselves!" Megatron turned to look at the other two Predacon generals who were standing on the floor. "Each one of us knows fully that if there was a true leader in control of the Predacons we would not be struggling for our own survival."

"And that is not for you to judge," the green council member said abruptly. "We do what is best for our race, not what will give us immediate gratification. Our long terms objectives. . ."

"Spare us your political banter of justification!" Megatron interrupted. "We do not want to be second class citizens to the Maximals. As inhabitants of Cybertron we are their equals, not their lessers!"

All three members of the Tripredacus Council looked at each other and nodded. Megatron could not hear exactly what they were saying, although he desperately tried to hear them. "I think that we've finally had enough out of you, Megatron," the purple member said. He glanced over at the two Predacon generals behind Megatron and nodded.

Suddenly, Megatron knew why the two Predacons standing with him where there. Megatron turned around and saw the two Predacons rushing toward him. Megatron reacted quickly and ducked out of the way on the two Predacons. He then unleashed his retractable blade from his wrist. The highly polished metal glistened in the lighting of the room. He glared at the two Predacons in disgust. "I see that the Tripredacus has a choke-collar with their underlings," he began. "I would have thought that at least _someone_ in this wreck of a race had the bearings to stand up with me, but I was hopelessly wrong."

The first Predacon charged at Megatron and was met with a quick slash from his blade. The painfully sharp weapon sliced right through the abdomen of the attacking Predacon and sent a spray of pink energon across the room. The Predacon general doubled over, grabbed his wound, and split into two separate pieces. Energon and other vital components spilled onto the room from the openings of the two pieces. Megatron smiled at the sight of the energon that graced his blade and then looked at the other Predacon.

"Do you think that you'll fair any better?" he asked the second Predacon general who crouched down preparing to pounce on Megatron. "It seems foolish to just throw your life away on these spineless leaders who treat you like a mindless buffoon!"

Then, his audio receptors picked up something from over his shoulders. Megatron realized that he had heard something from behind approach him, but it was too late. He felt a slight twinge as the neural-net disk magnetized to his back and sent a reverse flow of energon streaking throughout his entire body. The blade immediately retracted and he let out a scream that could be heard throughout the bottom level of the Predacon Citadel. Megatron fell to his knees and grabbed his head as the pain intensified. Blue electricity filled the air around Megatron and smoke began to rise from his body and out of his mouth as the reverse flow began to forcibly shut down all of the systems within him.

Megatron fell onto his hands as well and attempted to prop himself up in an effort to not succumb to being captured. His internal diagnostic system frantically began attempting to re-route the remaining power within his body to the vital systems that he needed to remain conscious.

* * *

**SYSTEM FAILURE SYSTEM FAILURE SYSTEM FAILURE SYSTEM FAILURE**

**SYSTEM FAILURE SYSTEM FAILURE SYSTEM FAILURE SYSTEM FAILURE**

**SYSTEM FAILURE SYSTEM FAILURE SYSTEM FAILURE SYSTEM FAILURE**

**SYSTEM FAILURE SYSTEM FAILURE SYSTEM FAILURE SYSTEM FAILURE**

**ENERGON SOURCE: RE-ROUTING**

**RE-CALIBRATION SEQUENCE: ZERO-ZERO-SEVEN-TWO-ONE-ONE**

**RE-CALIBRATION: ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR ERROR**

**SAFETY PROGRAM: INITIATED**

**STASIS-LOCK PROCEDURES:ACTIVATING**

**STASIS LOCK: IMMINENT**

**EQUALIBRIUM COORDINATION: OFF-LINE**

**WEAPONS NETWORK: OFF-LINE**

**ENERGON RECYCLING UNIT: OFF-LINE**

**ANTI-GRAVITY PROCEDURE: OFF-LINE**

**GPS NAVIGATIONAL MAPPING WEB:OFF-LINE**

**DEFENSE GRID ALIGNMENT:OFF-LINE**

**NEURAL-NETWORK ARRAY:BACKING FILES

* * *

**

Megatron's frame began to freeze as his internal safeguards began to force him into stasis lock. Megatron clawed at the floor in a hollow attempt to grasp something to throw at his attacker, if not the Tripredacus Council for their betrayal. Megatron lost all vision in his optics, going from black and white snow to complete darkness. His arms buckled and they could no longer support his weight. Megatron fell face first into the ground creating a loud thud as his forehead clanged against the metal floor.

Megatron's body lay there smoldering from the extreme overload that it had taken from the neural-net reverse energon flow. His left leg twitched for a moment and then went completely stiff as the stasis-lock protocols finalized their programs. The Predacon general who was prepared to face off against Megatron went over to his body and knelt down next to Megatron's head to examine it.

"Well?" a voice called from in the shadow of the pillar. "Is he in stasis-lock or what?"

The Predacon general knocked on Megatron's head and smiled at the sound that it made. He looked at the Tripredacus Council and stood. "Completely," he replied. "The reverse flow of energon seems to have thrown the fool into stasis-lock."

All three members of the Tripredacus Council smiled and looked toward the shadow of the pillar where their agent hid. "Nicely done," the red member said. "I assume that the next step is to inform the Maximals that our end of the agreement has been met."

Yellow optics grew brighter in the darkness and revealed where the attacker was hiding. There was a scuffle on the floor as the assailant approached the light. "I suppose so," a voice said as he entered the light. The purple frame of Tarantulas glistened as he looked at the downed Megatron. "The Maximals have been informed that he will be dropped off at the specified quadrant. They'll have a security team there ready to transfer him to Iacon immediately."

The Tripredacus Council smiled as they looked at Megatron's body that was still smoldering. "Excellent," the red and white Predacon leader said. "I believe that the time is now right to initiate phase two of our plan." He glanced over at Tarantulas and the other Predacon general, both kneeling on the floor. "It is finally time for the Harbingers of Chaos to make their presence known."

* * *

Primal gazed out of the front windshield of the _Arbutus 8_ as it skimmed the surface of the Cybertronian wastelands. He sat there wondering if he actually should put all of his faith into the success of this mission. Primal, after all of the years through the Reformation Wars with the Predacons, understood that something of this magnitude was far too good to be true. Deep within his spark, he wanted the endeavors of the Predacons to be genuine, but he could not convince himself otherwise.

_Damn_ he thought as he sat there constantly trying to persuade his reasoning to be optimistic, but he still found himself questioning the Predacons' objectives.

Still uneasy, Primal shifted his balance in his seat and turned to look at the pilot of the shuttle. The pilot was a hulking green and brown figure who was deeply meticulous in his detailing; he sat there intently reading the navigational output of the topographical mapping system. His massive hands gracefully navigated the delicate controls of the ship over the rugged terrain that has yet to be reformatted. He could tell that the mission leader was watching him, so he turned around to face him as he set the navigational computer on autopilot.

"So what's got you all torqued out, Primal?" he asked in a deep voice that still suggested both care and concern for his friend. "I haven't seen you this frazzled since the last time we transferred Starscream's spark from _Ark Haven_."

Primal gave a small smile in the corner of his mouth and shook his head. "You know something Rhinox, as often as we run these missions I don't think that I'll _ever_ be relaxed." He leaned back in his chair and rubbed the tip of his chin. "Dealing with the Predacons is a lot like dealing with Unicron himself."

Rhinox raised the top of his optics in confusion. "And how's that?' he asked.

Primal shook his head and looked outside of the windshield again. "They always have some type of alternate agenda that they want to initiate, and I'm not sure that this time's any different than before." Primal stood up and walked to the back of the cockpit. A wave of concern came over his spark as he wondered how this orn's mission would play itself out in the end. He grabbed on to the frame of the door and turned to face Rhinox. "I'm going down to check on the containment pod and the rest of the crew." He paused for a moment to collect his thoughts. "Patch it through the intercom when we arrive at our rendezvous location."

As Primal exited the doorway, the door to the cockpit closed and he began walking down the hallway toward the hanger. He lifted his hand up and grazed the right side of the hallway wall. The walk from the cockpit to the hanger was painfully long for Primal who still relentlessly questioned the validity of the motives behind the Tripredacus Council surrendering one of their prized generals. Over and over in his mind, Primal kept trying to figure out just what the Tripredacus had in mind for Megatron, if not for themselves.

Primal finally reached the hanger door where the stasis pod and the crew were. He placed his right hand on the scanning consol and let the security computer scan him to see if he was allowed to enter. The red bar of light scanned over the top of his hand and it gave off a glow that could be seen off of the highly polished walls. Once the scanner ran positive, the door began to slide open to its right, giving off a low hiss.

Primal saw the stasis pod laying on the floor of the shuttle; it was hooked up to various coolant tubes and exhaust vents in an effort to prepare it for its cargo. Primal saw one of his technicians working on the pod making sure that it was fully charged for the trip back to Iacon. Primal walked over to the Maximal and placed his hand on the technician's right shoulder.

"How's it all look, Rockbuster?" the captain of the shuttle asked.

The brown and black Maximal turned his head and looked at Primal. He smirked and nodded toward the stasis pod that was venting coolant through an exhaust port at the bottom of it. "All diagnostics report that she's green and prepped for storage, boss," Rockbuster said. "I tweaked the stasis alignment a bit to ensure that old Megatron doesn't try anything stupid while en route to Iacon." Rockbuster stood and slapped the stasis pod twice. "I highly doubt that we're gonna have problems from Megatron."

Primal smiled and looked at the pod. "Great," he replied. "The last thing that we want is to have a Predacon like that running loose on us in the ship." Primal looked around as if he was missing something. "Where's the rest of the crew?" he asked with concern.

Rockbuster turned to face Primal. "Oh you know," he replied with sarcasm. "They're around here somewhere I bet."

Suddenly, there was a loud crash from the back of the hanger. The probe-drone fell onto its side and the excavating scaffolding fell off of the wall. Primal and Rockbuster turned to look at each other and realized where the rest of the crew was.

"As if on cue," Primal said. He took two steps forward and cupped his hands around his mouthplate in an attempt to make his voice louder. "CHEETOR! RATTRAP! SQUALL!" he yelled to the back of the hanger. "Get up here right now!"

* * *

Rattrap looked concerned as he locked Megatron's limp body into the stasis pod in preparation for transport back to Iacon. He had heard rumors of the renegade Predacon and how he enjoyed taking Maximals off-line just for the pleasure of it. The Maximal rubbed the bridge of his nose as he calculated the final formula to be entered into the stasis computer. 

_Damn_, he thought to himself. _Why do I always get stuck checking in the goons while Rhinox and Rockbuster lolly-gag?_

Rattrap slid his data-card along the numerical padlock and punched in the seven-digit codex that magnetically locked Megatron into place. There was a low hum as the superconductors activated and grabbed Megatron's frame. Rattrap placed the data-card into his side compartment and stood up. He looked at Megatron lying in the stasis pod and wondered if this was the end of the civil unrest that has been growing at a fever pitch over the last few mega-cycles.

"BOO!" a voice yelled from behind Rattrap's left shoulder.

Startled by the voice, Rattrap jumped into the air and went to his side holster to grab his EMP caster. He quickly got the gun and pointed it directly at the head of the mech behind him. "Sheesh," Rattrap said with aggravation. "Just what the slag do ya think that yer doin', Cheetor?"

The young Maximal smiled at the sight of Rattrap nervously holding the gun. "Hey now," he said as he put his hands up in front of the barrel of Rattrap's sidearm. "Don't shoot, don't shoot. I'm just pulling your chain, that's all."

Rattrap brought his weapon down and shook his head at Cheetor. "Geez, kid. Ya don't go doin' somethin' like that when a Maximal is puttin' the likes of old goon-face here into stasis lock." He rubbed the bridge of his nose and turned to look at Megatron's body inside of the stasis pod. "Do ya know what would have happened if I shot ya?"

Cheetor shrugged his shoulders. "It's not like that pea-shooter of yours is lethal anyway." There was a large amount of sarcasm in Cheetor's voice as he attempted to blow off the situation. "I'd just. . ."

"Ya don't get it do ya?" Rattrap said. "You'd wake up with a neural-ach, but the stasis pod controls that keep Megs all nice and off-line would probably have shorted out and set him loose." He pointed to the silent figure of Megatron who was dormant in the pod. "Do ya know what kinda slag we would have been in if that went down?"

Cheetor smirked and rubbed his face. "I know," he sighed. Cheetor became disappointed and embarrassed that he was being reprimanded while on duty. "I just thought that I would try and ease the tension that's going around."

Rattrap smiled and placed his hand on Cheetor's shoulder. "I know kid, I know." He looked at Cheetor's optics which told Rattrap that he was truly sorry for his actions. "Kids your age are all full of hot energon and are eager to prove somethin'; it's natural, kiddo." He looked at Megatron again. "I just hope that with Megs here in our possession it means that the Reformation War is _finally_ over for _both_ the Maximals and the Preds."

Both Cheetor and Rattrap looked out of the window and watched as the Wastelands slowly disappeared into the growing distance of the horizon. They watched as two Maximal escort shuttles nestled against the hull of the _Arbutus 8_. Cheetor looked at Rattrap with curiosity. "Do you really think it is?" he asked.

Rattrap sighed and placed his hand on his young friend's shoulder. "I hope so kid. I hope so."


	2. Chapter 2

**Beast Wars Zero**

**Part II:**

**The Calling of War**

Tarantulas frantically began decrypting the necessary codes for proper configuration and formatting of the three protoforms that were resting in front of him. He typed as quickly as he could at his consol in an effort to finish on time in order to initiate the next phase of his plan. His yellow optics continuously scanned over the information streaming across the screen to double check that the equations and calculations that he was writing were correct.

_Damn index calibrations_, he thought as his mind raced at a fever pitch. _These formatting codes should have been finished and keyed in by now._ Tarantulas began to finally realize that cloning the natural configuration of his core programming was far more complex than he originally suspected. His fingers went faster and faster as he inputted the information for the protoform formatting.

Finally, a green light lit up on top of each of the protoform stasis pods. The mandibles on Tarantulas's face formed a distorted smile as he watched the lights pulse on top of the pods indicating that the codes were imputed and confirmed. The liquid gel inside the tubes began to bubble and the protoform mass began to twist and take an infantile shape. Tarantulas rolled his chair over to the three tubes, rubbed his hand on the side of the one that was closest to him, and chuckled out loud.

"Everything has been set into motion, my sweets," he said to the three pulsing stasis pods. "All that is left is for you to begin life anew in my absence, should I not return." Tarantulas paused for a moment and looked intently at the pods that contained a portion of his very spark. "Soon, the children shall inherit the universe, just as _he _had planned."

* * *

Megatron awoke from his time in stasis lock with a neural-ache that made his head module throb. He rubbed the side of his head to attempt to relieve some of the pain, but it was no use. His optics began to flicker as he came back on-line. He attempted to scan the area to gather some information on his present location, but his energon levels were too depleted to perform such a task. He grabbed his head and leaned back against the wall to gain his balance. It seemed that the room was spinning and he had no ability to control it; he felt powerless, making him extremely volatile and dangerous. As he attempted to recalibrate his optics, he sniffed the air and a large smile came across his face as a familiar scent ran through his olfactory sensors. 

"Why Grimlock," he said with a friendly tone. "I'm surprised and honored that you would come and grace me with your divine presence yet again." Megatron turned his head to try to look out of the cell. His optics finally came into focus and he saw the hulking Dinobot commander lurking just beyond the energy-bars. "Yes, what a pleasant surprise indeed."

Grimlock stood there brooding with his arms crossed in front of his massive chest. He squinted his optics and glared right at the Predacon general. "Do not fool yourself, Megatron," Grimlock said in his deep voice that would make normal Predacons tremble with fear. "Me not here for friendly visit. Me making sure that you no try any slag _this time_."

"How intriguing," Megatron said. "After all of this time you still haven't let the past go, now have you?" He stood up and walked to the edge of the energy-bars that gave off a low hum and a slight smell of ozone. "It must be eating at your very spark every orn." He paused for a moment to let his words sink into the Neo-Dinobot's mind while his smile grew larger. "Yes, Grimlock. It must haunt you _every _orn."

Grimlock gave off a low growl that came from deep within his throat. His optics got smaller and he became more focused on his adversary. "Your petty attempts at agitating me not working, Megatron," he said in a firm fashion. Grimlock stepped closer to the cell and glared straight into the optics of Megatron. "Me tell you one thing, if you somehow manage to escape this time, me stop at _nothing _to hunt you down."

Megatron laughed at the Neo-Dinobot's comment. He walked to the bench at the far end of the cell and sat down on it. "Yes Grimlock. I'm sure that you will." The Predacon turned to face Grimlock and placed his hand on his chin. "Tell me something, Grimlock. Does it bother you that you stand on the cusp of social revolution and you can do nothing to prevent it?"

Grimlock stood motionless and said nothing, which gave Megatron much satisfaction.

"Yes, I'm sure that it must," he said as if to answer his own question. "A _relic_ such as you can sit idly by and watch as Cybertron gets thrown into yet another civil war." Megatron stood up again and walked to the opposite end of the holding cell. "Virtually all of your comrades are either dead or left Cybertron, but yet you remained here, hoping, foolishly I might add, to keep the peace that 'emerged' from the ashes of the Dread War, am I correct?"

Grimlock stared at Megatron. "Me stay on Cybertron to make sure that fascists like you no longer continue to spread discontent." Grimlock turned his head toward the door that was opening down the hallway. Through it came two Maximal guards and a hypnotist to keep Megatron under control for transportation for sentencing. Grimlock then turned to face Megatron. "Look like your escorts have arrived, Megatron."

The Predacon smiled and nodded his head, which still throbbed. "Yes, indeed they have." Megatron felt the restraining bolt fused to the base of his neck release a slight shock throughout his body. His extremities tensed up and he practically froze in place. "I'll see you at the other end of social evolution, my dear Grimlock."

* * *

Primal and Rhinox walked down the long hallway together. Rhinox easily towered over his commanding officer, while Primal continued down the hall with his arms crossed. Each of the two Maximals understood the severity of today's sentencing of Megatron, and it did not sit particularly well with either of the two Maximals. 

As Primal continued walking, he looked at the decorations that adorned the walls depicting the glory of their Autobot heritage. Energon paintings of Optimus Prime, Ultra Magnus, Rodimus, Wheeljack, and Six Shot were some of the highly admired pictures that tourists were attracted to when they visited the Hall of the Ancients in New Iacon. There were statues of Ironhide, Bluestreak, and Maximus that gained much attention as well. Primal always felt something special when he walked down the hall to the Elders' chamber; these were his friends, but now they were all gone. Some had died in the final war with the Dread, while others chose to leave Cybertron in an attempt to scour the universe for the threat that they might someday return.

"Those were the days," Rhinox said to Primal as they approached the door to the chamber. "And to think that I was such a punk glitchling at the time."

Primal smiled at his friend. "That you were, Rhinox. That you were." He paused for a moment as he reached the access doorway to the main chamber. "I think that we _all _were a little full of our sparks back then." Primal touched the access panel and the security network scanned his hand for a positive Maximal identification. "Times have changed, and I know that we've changed since then too."

The access door to the chamber slid open and a white Maximal was there to greet both of the visitors. The Maximal was tall and slender as if it was streamlined for flight. He reached out his right arm to greet the two Maximal guests.

"It's nice to see you two again," the Maximal stated. "I hope that everything went as planned on your little venture." His voice was deep and seemed to command respect when he spoke.

Rhinox was first to shake the white Maximal's hand. "A little too easy if you really want to know, Swiftwing."

The white Maximal, called Swiftwing, nodded his head in acknowledgment to Rhinox's comment about transferring Megatron. "I can relate to that," he responded. "It seems that the Predacons had no trouble handing in their most notorious general in exchange for diplomatic freedom within Crystalline Macross." All three Maximals turned and began walking down the corridor toward the main chamber. "The Tripredacus seems to have something else brewing, and that's why you have been called here."

Primal turned to look at Swiftwing as they approached the next door. It had the Maximal symbol painted in red on it and had two massive Ultra-con guards protecting it. "And what do the Elders feel is going on?" he asked.

Swiftwing stopped in front of the door and raised his left hand in front of him. The two guards knelt down and lowered their heads in respect for the white Maximal. Swiftwing then placed his hand on the control panel that had the security device on it and let it scan the palm of his hand. There was a loud thud as the lock disengaged and the thick door began to open. Slowly the door retracted and there was a bright light inside of the Chamber of Elders.

Swiftwing turned to face the two Maximals who were accompanying him. "They feel that a new war is about to start," he said as he looked at Primal. "Believing in this notion, they are about to finally pass the Matrix on to the next successor of Prime. For too long we've been without a Prime sine Rodimus decided to leave with the remaining Autobots. The time has finally come to anoint a new leader."

Rhinox nudged Primal in the abdomen. "And is Primal here going to be the successor?" he asked on behalf of his friend.

Swiftwing turned and began walking into the room. "That is for the Elders to decide, not me. On that subject, I have no knowledge."

* * *

The monitor was full of static and black lines as it skipped regularly while the Predacon known as Bloodhound continued to boost the reception. There was no volume, and the Predacons in the communications room could not make out who was on the screen. Frantically, Bloodhound tried to tune in the picture, but it never seemed to get any better. Finally, frustrated enough with his futile attempts at fixing the reception signal, he turned to look at the rest of the Predacons. 

"This is about as good as it's gonna get," he said to the group. "I suppose that Tarantulas is gonna have to do somethin' on his end to boost the reception."

Disgusted with the lack of proper equipment, Dinobot quickly walked up to the monitor and slammed his fist on the consol. "Worthless Maximal surplus rubbish!" he hissed at the monitor. He turned to Bloodhound and looked deeply into his optics. "Can't we get _anything_ around here that actually _works_?"

Suddenly, the signal came in clear with a few sections containing distorted pixels. The volume of the communication came in and startled the gathered Predacons. Tarantulas, who seemed to be completely unaware of the technical problems, continued on with what he was saying.

". . .put him in a holding cell in New Iacon," Tarantulas said.

"What was that?" Terrorsaur said to the image of Tarantulas.

The image of the Predacon scientist blurred for a moment, but they were able to make out the image of him shaking his head. "I _said _that the Tripredacus surrendered Megatron to the Maximals in exchange for diplomatic freedom, and he's currently being placed within a holding cell in New Iacon. It turns out that the Maximals are going to sentence him later on this orn."

A maroon and gray female Predacon stepped toward the monitor, shoving aside Bloodhound. "When did this happen?" she asked with authority.

"Earlier today," Tarantulas replied. "I tried to get in contact with you but. . ." The communication abruptly stopped and the screen went completely blank. Each of the gathered Predacons looked at one another with awe and stayed silent for a moment.

Finally, the maroon and gray Predacon, known as Vixen, spoke out to the group. "It seems that Megatron's plan will have to be put into motion earlier than he anticipated." She looked at Bloodhound who was standing over by the consol trying to reconnect with Tarantulas. "I want you to lead the group to New Iacon and get him the hell out of there. I don't care what it takes! Just get it done!" There was sheer anger within her voice as she barked the orders to Bloodhound, who stopped working on reconnecting the severed communication.

Bloodhound, realizing that she was his superior, nodded in respect. He looked at the rest of the Predacons and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Terrorsaur, Dinobot, Scorponock, Pack Pack. You're gonna go with me in the _Decimation _to New Iacon." He looked at Terrorsaur. "I want you to hack into the Maximal security net and see _exactly _where he is." Terrorsaur nodded. He then looked at Dinobot and Scorponock. "You two will load the ship with high-explosives; we're gonna blow the slag outta that joint."

Scorponock smiled and rubbed his hand s together. "Damn straight!" he yelled. "Gonna be a hot time in the city tonight!"

Dinobot sneered at Scorponock. "It can't be done with sheer brutality, you fool!" he said toward his partner. "We need to make sure that we don't kill ourselves or Megatron in the process!"

Bloodhound nodded at Dinobot. "Right. Make sure that you bring enough to do precision bombing." Finally, he looked at Pack Pack. "I want you to prep the _Decimation_. Make sure that its armaments are prepped and there's enough fuel for a long ride; I doubt that we're gonna get away without a pursuit."

There was no reply from the green Predacon known as Pack Pack. He simply nodded at Bloodhound. He then turned around and began to make his way out of the room and toward the weapons bay.

Vixen then looked at the remaining Predacons and drew out her energon sword. "Make no mistake, this is the _first _initial strike by both the Tripredacus _AND_ the Maximals." He drew her sword close to her face and activated it. A long yellow rod appeared and began to glow. Suddenly, flames spat out of it and the edges became sharp; fire continued to radiate from the blade. "If we are to proceed with Megatron's ultimate plan, then we _must _be ready to sacrifice _EVERYTHING_!" She looked at the gathered Predacons with her red optics and sneered. "This will be a lesson to all!"

* * *

Tarantulas rubbed his hands together as he abruptly switched off the monitor. He intended to break the communication with the other Predacons in an attempt to add confusion and frustration to the situation. Then, he smiled at the thought of his plans finally coming to fruition after such a long period of time. He turned his chair to view the three stasis pods that were located behind him; he watched them as they continued to glow while the protoforms inside were beginning to solidify into the shape of the Predacons that he intended them to be. 

Tarantulas then turned around and activated the communication array to contact the Predacon Citadel. The monitor lit up and the face of the red council member appeared on the screen. Tarantulas smiled at the image as he began to talk. "Megatron's crew is gathered at the provided location." The subtle hint of deception laced his very words.

The council member's face did not change with the news. "Excellent. Our operatives will be en route as soon as everything is in order." He leaned back in his chair. "Soon, everything will be as it should."

"And the Maximals?" Tarantulas asked.

"They are of no concern to you," the member of the Tripredicus Council quickly replied. "All will be settled in due time." The monitor went blank and the Predacon symbol appeared on it.

Tarantulas squinted as he looked back at his three "children." He walked over to the pods and kneeled on the floor. Tarantulas then turned off his optics and went into a deep trance as he began to mind-meld with the infantile protoforms.

* * *

Megatron stood there silently watching as the members of the Council of Elders read through the list of offences that he was accused of committing while a member of the elite Predacon strike force. He glared over to his right and saw Grimlock, Slag, and Snarl standing there intently focused on his very being; each of them waiting for the moment when Megatron would make an indication that he was going to harm the Ancients. 

Over to his left, Megatron saw Primal, Rhinox, and Swiftwing. Each of them was also focused on Megatron, but not as intently as the Neo-Dinobots were. A smile came across Megatron's face as he saw Primal there. He then focused on Primal and pushed out his lower lip and shook his head; Megatron was aware of the fact that Primal was not named successor to the Matrix of Primus.

"Don't let that waste-hole get to you, boss," Rhinox said quietly as he leaned down to whisper into Primal's audio receptor. "He's just trying to goad you into doing something rash."

Primal leaned to his right but kept focused on Megatron. "It'll be a cold day in the inferno when he gets under my frame, Rhinox." He looked over at Grimlock quickly. "But I'm not sure how long Grimlock and his thugs are going to keep themselves in check." He then turned and looked at his friend. "I appreciate the concern though."

Megatron turned his attention to the Council of Ancients who were still addressing the dossier containing his previous assaults on Maximal territories. Finally, after being fed up with hearing them talk down to him, thus insulting his ego, he took a step forward and laughed at the members. "Spare me this mockery of justice!" he yelled scornfully at the members of the council. "You speak of atrocities and injustices that _I_ have committed, but you should take a look at _yourselves _when you preach about equality and freedom! It is the very council that sits before me that subjugates members of the Predacon race and treats them like second class citizens!" He looked at Grimlock next. "Own members of your Maximal breed take liberties against my people. They force policies that we never even voted on, and they continuously degrade the Predacons by enslaving their very minds by telling them that they are below the Maximals!"

A white figure stood up and looked down at Megatron. Its face was gray and had black markings under its optics. "You speak as if _we _are the ones who terrorize your people," the Elder said. "If I recall, it was _you _who decided to raid the energon-reprocessing facility which killed _at least_ seven Maximals."

"Who were siphoning off energon from Predacon territories and rerouting it to their own dwellings!" Megatron yelled back at the council member. "While you stand there and call my actions an injustice, I was doing my people a favor! The real injustice is within your own ranks who take advantage of my kind!"

A second member of the council stood up and looked at Megatron. "I think we've had enough of this today," she commented in a soft voice of authority. "Perhaps sentencing would be better when cooler heads have returned."

Primal, Swiftwing, and Rhinox stepped forward into the light. Each of the Maximals stood next to Megatron. "We'll escort the prisoner back to the holding cell," Swiftwing stated. "I believe that the Council. . ."

"Treacherous dog!" Megatron snapped. "Have your optics been blinded by. . ." Suddenly, Megatron was thrust to the floor. He landed face first on the floor and rolled over onto his back. With his hands bound behind him, he had a difficult time maneuvering into a position to see his attacker, but he did not need to in order to know who attacked him.

"Ah, Grimlock," he said as he got onto his knees. "As graceful and considerate as ever."

Grimlock stood over Megatron and glared down into the Predacon's optics. "Me take Megatron back to his cell," he growled. "This not the time for. . ."

"I believe, Grimlock, that Swiftwing will be efficient in taking Megatron back to his cell," the white Elder said. "Having you around him would only prolong the ill feelings that he holds against the Maximals."

Grimlock raised his hand and pointed at Megatron. "All me need is a reason, Megatron," he said in his deep voice. "All me need is a reason."

* * *

Tarantulas kneeled on the ground and motioned for the other three Predacons to crouch down with him. As they gathered around the Predacon scientist, each of them adjusted their weapons that were magnetized to their sides and back. Tarantulas looked at each of the Predacon assassins and began his speech. 

"I'll enter through the main access doorway," he began. "Once I've deactivated the magnetic defense field, you'll have no problems entering undetected." He looked at the blue and white Predacon who had an EMP cannon magnetized to his back. "The security grid will be disabled for a moment as the defenses align themselves. You'll have to take out the plasma cannon before it locks onto your signature; the grid won't show that it's down until you've already entered the complex."

"Affirmative," he said.

He looked at the other two Predacons. "The _Decimation_ is located in the rear hanger. It's your job to disable it before they get ready to launch." He then turned his attention back to all of the Predacons. "The one you really need to worry about is Dinobot; he's a _bastard_ of a fighter!" He then sighed and shook his head. "And then there's Vixen too; I'm sure that she's pissed off as of now with her 'boyfriend' in lockup."

All three Predacon assassins looked at Tarantulas and nodded. The blue and white one shifted his weight and grabbed his cannon. "Anything else?" he asked.

Tarantulas shook his head. "No. The only thing that you really need to worry about is that they do outnumber us. That's why I must shut down the defense field in order to let you enter the complex; if you tried to take the complex head-on you'd end up dead."

Tarantulas transformed into his spider mode and began to make his way into the complex. The three assassins looked at each other and loaded their weapons. The blue and white Predacon loaded the last rocket into his cannon and looked at the other two assassins.

"Once we've taken the complex, our orders are to kill Tarantulas as well," he said. "The Tripredacus wants to make sure that all loose ends are tied up neatly. Is that understood?" The other two shook their heads understanding the additional objective to their mission.

Tarantulas paused for a moment as he overheard the conversation from behind the cover of the complex door. He had placed a transmitter on the base of the blue assassin's neck that relayed the conversation directly to his audio receptors. He chuckled as he continued to enter the complex.

* * *

The explosion rang through the security complex in Iacon. Orange flames consumed the main hallway to the building and instantly incinerated three Maximal guards who were making routine checks. The alarm began to ring out through the building and nearby streets. Maximal citizens who were bustling about their day immediately began to run for shelter as additional explosions riddled the city streets of Iacon. 

Through the flames and debris came two figures. The first one was Scorponock who continued to launch rockets at random targets in an attempt to cause as much confusion as possible. He grinned as he witnessed the devastation that ensued from his own doing.

"WHOOOOOOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOO!" he yelled over the roar of explosions and cries from wounded Maximals. "And you thought this was gonna be too complex."

The second figure was standing next to Scorponock; it was Terrorsaur. He threw another thermal detonator at an approaching emergency transport making its way onto the scene. "Don't get so smug, Scorp," he said over the thunder of the grenade exploding where he had planned. "The Maximals will be sending someone here soon to deal with us." He then picked up his left arm and activated the communications array with the other Preedacons. "Did you get him?" he asked.

There was some static, but Terrorsaur was able to make out what his comrade was saying. "Affirmative!" a voice shouted. "We've got Megatron and we're making a mad dash for the shuttle! We've got light resistance between us and the exit, but it shouldn't be too difficult!"

Terrorsaur began firing off round after round from his rifle into the city streets hoping to hit something or someone. "Excellent!" he yelled. "We'll be there as soon as possible to give you backup!" His comm.-link snapped shut and he turned toward Scorponock. "We're outta here, Scorp! Head over to the ship!"

Scorponock frowned as he heard the news. "Damn," he said. "I though that we would be doing this for. . ."

"Shut the hell up and move!" Terrorsaur yelled at Scorponock. "We're _NOT_ here for shits and giggles!"

* * *

The slug from Slag's shot hit Pack Pack directly in the chest. It tore a hole right through his frame and he screamed out in agony as the circuitry exploded out of his back. Recycled energon spat out from his mouth and his left optic shattered from the feedback of electricity. He suddenly fell to the floor and grabbed his throat as it began to burst with flames. 

_"SHIT_!" Bloodhound yelled as he watched his fellow Predacon die. "Pack Pack's down!" He looked at Dinobot who was holding Megatron up on his shoulders. "I don't know how much longer I'll be able to hold him off!" Bloodhound continued to fire randomly down the hallway in an effort to hit Slag or one of the other Neo-Dinobots that were pursuing them.

Dinobot looked over at Bloodhound. "This is going from bad to worse!" he yelled to his partner. "Hopefully those two fools in the streets have kept any reinforcements from entering the building!" He looked at Megatron and shifted his commander's weight. "Waspinator should be ready by now."

Megatron, weak from energon depletion and the mobility clamp, attempted to stand on his own. "If we don't make it to the _Decimation_ soon, that _bastard_ Grimlock will be on top of us, and we're _not_ in _any_ condition to take him!" There was another explosion that took apart a section of the wall over Megatron's head. "Give Waspinator our position and have him get us!"

"Already done, sir," Bloodhound said as he reloaded his bolt caster. He stood up and fired another shot of electricity down the hallway. The streams of blue electricity crackled as they hit the wall and turned it black from the heat. Bloodhound looked over at Dinobot and shook his head. "I ain't hitting jack!" he said. "They're dug in like. . ."

Suddenly, the wall between the two ends of the hallway exploded with such ferocity the entire complex shook. Debris of wall segments went flying down the opposite ends of the hallway and Slag had to duck for cover from a piece of reinforced steel. There was a high-pitched buzz coming from outside the hole of the wall and a ramp extended to the opening.

"Letzzzzzz go," a voice called out from the hole. "Wazzzzpinator haz detected incoming Maximal containment forcezzzzz."

A smile came across Megatron's face as he heard Waspinator. "Ah, my dear Waspinator," Megatron said with pleasure. "Intelligence may not be your forte, but you _do_ have your moments."

Bloodhound stood up and laid down a suppressive cover fire that kept both Slag and Snarl hiding behind the corner of the wall. "Go Dinobot!" he yelled. "I've got you covered!"

Dinobot hobbled down the hallway with Megatron in tow. Once they got to the ramp, Megatron walked across it with his own power while Dinobot fired off several rounds in the direction of the Neo-Dinobots. Wapinator grabbed on to Megatron and helped him into the ship. After he made sure that his leader was on board, he ran to the cockpit to prepare for departure.

Dinobot kept firing down the hallway toward the two Neo-Dinobots. "Move it, Bloodhound!" he yelled as the shells from his blaster rained down upon the metal ramp. "These Maximal dogs won't stay down for much longer!"

Bloodhound took his comrade's advice and made a dash for the ramp. He turned toward the hole in the wall and ran across the ramp and right into the _Decimation_. Dinobot walked backwards and into the ship as he kept the two Maximals at bay. Once inside, he retracted the ramp and made his way to the gunnery turret on the side of the ship.

"Let's get the slag outta here!" Bloodhound yelled toward the cockpit. "These slag-suckers are not gonna stay down!"

Waspinator disengaged the anti-gravity propulsion unit and took command of the ship. Suddenly, the _Decimation_ dropped without warning right down just short of the ground. Dinobot kept several Maximal security units running for cover with the use of the high-caliber gun. Terrorsaur and Scorponock leapt into the doorway of the ship and hid behind the cover of the wall. Scorponock shot two rockets out of his wrist at the approaching Gemini-tank that was making its way toward the shuttle. The impact of the rockets stopped the tank long enough for the _Decimation_ to lift off of the ground and over the neighboring buildings.

* * *

The power flickered for a brief moment, and that was all that was needed. The green force field deactivated and several magnetic locks of the cell disengaged. The door to the containment unit unlocked and that was the precise moment that it had been waiting for since the orn that it became imprisoned over two vorns ago. 

The pulsing blue sphere floated out of the door and through the disabled containment unit. Once it passed through the safety precautions that had been installed for such a prisoner, the sphere paused for a moment to realize that it was finally free.

Then, without warning, the sphere zigzagged down the hallway and out of the building; this was freedom.


	3. Chapter 3

**Beast Wars Zero**

**Part III:**

**Chosen To Go**

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing here?" Vixen yelled toward Tarantulas. "I thought that you were. . ."

"Never mind that, my lovely," he said anxiously as he walked past Vixen. "We've got Predacon assassins making their way into the complex!" He approached the control monitor and brought up an image of the inner hanger. "According to the scans, they must have penetrated the. . ."

"And how the slag do _you _know this?" she demanded as she interrupted Tarantulas. "You haven't been here in several orns and all of a sudden you parade yourself in here with 'supposed' information about assassins!" She ran over to Tarantulas and grabbed him by the wrist. He turned around and glared into her optics. "Do you mind explaining all this to me?"

Tarantulas grabbed her forearm and twisted it. His vice-like grip made her wince and she let go. He reached out with his other arm, grabbed her by her opposite shoulder, and then pulled her nearer. He hissed at her as he leaned in to get a closer glimpse of Vixen. "One of these orns, my precious, you're going to push me the _wrong way_." He flung his arm up and let go of her. She caught her balance, grabbed her shoulder, and rubbed the spot where he had held her in his grasp. "We've got more important things on the agenda right now other than your _petty _suspicions."

Vixen reached for her sword and looked at Tarantulas. She waited for a reason to cut his head off; she had put up with enough of his theatrics since the day he came waltzing into Megatron's complex. She had finally seen the fact that Tarantulas was completely out of line, something that she did not tolerate from any Predacon under her command, which was second only to Megatron.

_Insolent dog_ she thought as she convinced herself to not kill Tarantulas. She then turned her attention to the three figures on the monitor who were making their way through the complex. She stepped closer to the monitor and looked at the bottom of the screen. Suddenly, something caught her attention. She turned around and looked at the complex chronometer on the back wall.

"What the slag?" she yelled. She then realized that something was not right. "The times don't match! It's on a damn dely!" She turned to face Tarantulas and watched as he began running toward her. Instinctively, she drew her sword and activated the blade. Yellow and red flames emerged from the blade and she sneered at Tarantulas. Finally she was to be rid of the treacherous Predacon who haunted her every move.

"Get down you stupid _witch_!" he yelled at her as he pointed to the entryway. "They're here to kill us all!"

Shots rang out and hit the wall next to Vixen. She turned around and saw three Predacon assassins making their way across the open floor and to the cover of the mapping table. She deactivated her sword and pulled her sidearm out from her thigh compartment and began firing it in the direction of the assassins. "Come on you _slaggers_!" she yelled as round after round shot off from her gun. She looked at Tarantulas who was seeking shelter behind the communications consol. "If you have _anything_ to do with this I'm going to recycle you _myself_!"

* * *

Grimlock, Slag, and Snarl ran out and into the street to see if they could locate the _Decimation_. As each of the three Neo-Dinobots made their way into the main hallway of the battered complex, they saw what remained of several deactivated Maximals who were charred beyond recognition. Grimlock growled at the sight as he picked up the pace and headed to the hole in the front of the entrance area. Snarl grabbed his plasma cannon and activated the targeting mechanism in case he spotted the Predacon shuttle off in the distance; a high-pitched hum slowly died out as the cannon adjusted the calibration for maximum distance. 

All three Dinobots ran out of the hole and into the street where they saw more carnage. There were Maximal civilians running for help as others struggled to stay online. Slag saw rescue workers rushing to the aid of civilians who were trapped beneath the rubble of a nearby building.

Grimlock looked off into the horizon in an effort to locate the _Decimation_. He activated his magnification array in his optics and scanned the distance but saw nothing. "_SLAG IT_!" he shouted. "Someone get me shuttle before it too late!" He looked around and saw dozens of rescue workers attempting to calm down civilians while managing to contain the damage and death that was so rampant in this section of the city.

Snarl activated the communication link in his forearm and attempted to contact the Maximal Command Center. There was heavy static from the interference by the antenna being destroyed. He closed the communicator and activated the audio relay within his audio receptor and managed to contact the Maximals. He placed two fingers on the right side of his head and listened intently as the standard emergency warning was broadcast across all channels. "The C.E.T. is being broadcast now, boss-bot," he said to Grimlock. "I've got Swiftwing on hold."

Grimlock walked over to Snarl and looked him in the optics. "Tell him Megatron escaped _AGAIN_!" he yelled. "Me want shuttle to go after that bastard!"

Slag magnetized the cannon to his back and pointed off into the distance. "I think your request has been fulfilled, G."

Grimlock grunted and watched as the pursuit shuttle made its way onto the cluttered city street. The anti-gravity propulsion kicked off and the shuttle gently dropped to the ground. Grimlock, Slag, and Snarl all walked up to the ramp as it began to slide down to the ground. Several medical personnel scrambled out of the shuttle and through the three Neo-Dinobots pushing them out of the way. Slag snorted as one of the medics accidentally shoved him in the shoulder. "Watch where you're goin', slag-head!" he yelled.

Grimlock looked up the ramp way and saw several figures walk down it. He stepped aside and let all of the Maximals pass by. "Good timing as usual," he commented.

The first figure was Primal who turned to face Grimlock. "I'm not here to pick old wounds, Grimlock," he said. "Swiftwing wants us to. . ."

"You realize that Megatron has escaped, don't you?" he asked in his sarcastic tone. "You just _love _playing by rules while we get _blind sided_ by Predacons!"

A smaller Maximal walked past Primal and glared back at Grimlock, who towered over Rattrap. He puffed up his chest and looked at Grimlock with an intensity that showed his discontent with the Neo-Dinobot. "What do ya mean by that?" he asked.

Grimlock became enraged at Rattrap's comment. He took one step toward Rattrap and glared directly down into the Maximal's optics. The responsibility that Grimlock felt for letting Megatron escape a second time was eating a hole in his spark every passing moment. The Neo-Dinobot towered over the smaller Maximal and clenched his massive fists. "Perhaps you want me to explain it for you," he replied. He then brushed past Rattrap and walked over to Primal. "There nothing we can do here; let medics handle this. We need to go after Megatron _NOW_!"

* * *

Kitbash activated his E.M.P. rifle and fired three shots into the onrushing crowd of Predacon prisoners. The blue ball gave off a white flash as it hit the floor in front of the frantic mob. Several Predacons became immediately disabled as the E.M.P. blast field seized up their circuitry. The red and brown Maximal guard turned to look at his partner with a frantic expression that blatantly showed that he was scared. "I don't think that's gonna hold off those freaks!" he yelled. 

His partner, a tall female Maximal named Opal, took three steps backwards and fired off several shots from her own E.M.P. rifle. "Communication's down across the complex!" she managed to yell. "We better cut our losses and seal off the hallway from the outside until backup arrives!"

Kitbash nodded and ran to the doorway behind Opal. He leaned up against the opposite side of the wall and took aim at the Predacons. "Move it!" he said quickly. "These bastards are almost on top of us!"

Opal managed to fire off two more rounds before she ducked through the doorway. She accessed the control panel and closed the door. There was a sound of the locks being activated as the two portions of the door came together. Kitbash dropped his weapon and activated the welding tools within his index finger in order to seal off the door. His welding-blinder slid over his optics and he began welding the two sides of the steel door together. Sparks flew and molten metal dripped onto the floor as he continued working. He could hear the muffled sound of the Predacons pounding on the other side of the door as he anxiously finished the task.

Opal grabbed Kitbash's gun and backed away from the door as he finished the job. "We better seal off the next door too, just in case." Fear was apparent in her voice as she gazed down the opposite end of the hall to check for more Predacon escapees.

Kitbash finished sealing off the doorway, stood up, and looked at Opal. "Right," he said. "If these waste-holes make it outta here we're all scrap!"

* * *

Zip-bit desperately tried to reroute the auxiliary power to the communication grid, but the circuitry was too heavily damaged to do a direct link. Sparks flew about the control room from damaged electronics. He reached down onto the floor to grab the wire-splicer that had fallen. He grabbed it and began to strip the wire that would allow him to bypass the standard rerouting procedures. 

_Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn!_ He thought to himself as he twisted the two bare pieces of wire together. _Everything's shot to slag!_

There was a crackle inside the communication consol and sparks shot out of the keyboard. The main screen activated and the Maximal symbol appeared. Zip-bit stood up and began to tune in the monitor. "She's running, boss!" he yelled across the room. "Doesn't mean she's going to work."

Drop Down ran across the control room and stood next to Zip-bit. The black and white Maximal towered over Zip-bit. "Please tell me that you _can_ access the internal communications," he pleaded. "Who the hell knows what's going on out there!"

The monitor flashed and divided up into several windows. Three of the windows were nothing but snow, while the rest displayed the chaos that ensued because of the power outage. Zip-bit closed the three disabled windows and enlarged the rest. He quickly scanned the windows to look for containment problems. "There!" he said to Drop Down. "We've got breeches all over the joint!"

Drop Down ran over to the weapons compartment and grabbed two rifles. He strapped one on his back and loaded the other one with a fresh energon cell. He then grabbed several E.M.P. grenades and attacked them to his side compartment. He nodded over to two other Maximals who were tending to the fire that had broken out because of the fuse shortages. "Let's go," he said. He grabbed two more rifles and tossed them into their direction. He then looked back at Zip-bit and cocked his weapon. "Get the word out to every available Maximal on the premises that we've got a situation!" He then ran to the exit doorway that was partially blocked by a metal girder. He paused for a moment and looked back at Zip-bit. "Check to make sure Starscream's still here."

* * *

The shots from the Predacon assassins rang out throughout the control room as they took aim at both Vixen and Tarantulas. Vixen grabbed her sidearm and quickly leapt over the broken desk firing in the direction of the Predacons. She landed on her side and took aim at the first Predacon that she saw. She managed to get off three shot at the Predacon and hit him in both the head and chest. The shots tore holes through his chest and shoulder sending internal circuitry across the room. The assassin fell down twitching while his optics flickered and then went completely black as he succumbed to terminal stasis lock. 

"See you in the inferno!" she yelled as she ejected the empty energon cell from her weapon. She slapped in a fresh clip, stood up, and rushed toward the blue Predacon who was taking aim at her with his cannon. Just before he was ready to fire, Tarantulas tackled the Predacon from behind. The assassin pulled the trigger and the cannon fired. The shot slammed into the ceiling, shook the entire complex, and caused the main lights to go out inside the entire room.

Tarantulas managed to pin the Predacon down with his legs and hissed at him. He drew out a blade from his forearm and shoved it into the head module of the Predacon. The blue assassin spat energon from out of his gaping mouth while his body shuddered as it went into shock from the damage that the knife created. Tarantulas stood up and spat on the deactivating Predacon.

Vixen then spotted the final assassin off in the distance. He took three charges from out of his side compartment and activated them creating a red glow as they pulsed. He then threw all three spheres into the room and he began running down the hallway.

"_PLASMA BOMBS_!" Vixen yelled as she jumped behind the mapping table and began running out of the opposite exit. Tarantulas ducked down, transformed into his spider-tank mode and proceeded to follow Vixen.

There was complete silence in the room as the sound was sucked into the spheres, and then they exploded with an ear-shattering roar. The noise that was created was so loud that it broke every piece of glass in the control room sending them flying into the air. The wave of plasma energy melted everything inside the control room and sent a burst of flames down the two exits. The force threw both Vixen and Tarantulas forward and they toppled over each other.

In the opposing hallway, the last Predacon assassin took refuge behind the corner wall and let the flame pass by him. He slapped a new energon power cell into his rifle and switched it to automatic. He then stood up and began running toward the hallway where Vixen and Tarantulas were.

"Get up you _oaf_!" Vixen screamed to Tarantulas. "That son of an Autobot is probably already on his way over here right now!" She shoved Tarantulas off of her and shook her head as she attempted to recalibrate her bearings. Vixen then checked her weapon and noticed that it had been damaged in the explosion. Realizing that it was useless, she threw the gun to the floor and drew out her energy sword. She looked at the spider and sneered. "This is ridiculous," she snapped. "Just how the hell did they manage to get past the security grid?"

Tarantulas propped himself up on all eight legs and shook his body in an attempt to see if anything was damaged. He then transformed and looked down the hallway where flames had engulfed what was left of the control room. "And how would I know?" He turned to look at Vixen. "Where is the rest of the team anyway?"

Vixen ran to the corner of the hallway and peeked around the side of the wall. She spotted the Predacon assassin approaching and she activated the energy sword. She crouched down and prepared to leap on the assassin. Tarantulas leaned against the wall in an effort to not be spotted by the assassin if Vixen chose to wait.

Suddenly, a metallic ball came bouncing down the hallway. It hit off the hallway wall and began to spit out smoke. Vixen activated her night vision and saw that the assassin was just around the corner. She then jumped from behind the corner and took a massive downward stroke that severed the assassin in two; the cut tore through the torso and right arm of the Predacon. The assassin stood motionless for a moment, and then the upper portion of the Predacon went sliding to the floor. Vixen smiled at her handiwork and stuck the blade of the sword into the bottom half of the assassin.

Just as she was about to turn around to find Tarantulas, she felt a piercing sensation in her lower back. Suddenly, a large blade came jutting out from her abdomen; pink energon stained the blade and wires were entangled between the tip of the blade and Vixen's body. She grabbed her wound and felt the blade twist inside her, tearing more internal mechanisms as it turned and sent a rush of internal fluid out through her mouth. Her hands became covered in energon, and the she dropped to one knee.

Vixen leaned over and placed one hand on the floor to balance herself as she spat green lubricant out of her mouth. Her optics flashed as she struggled to stay online. Suddenly, the blade was wrenched out from her and she fell face first on the ground in agony; she winced as she felt the sheer pain of the blade retracting out from her. Vixen rolled over and saw her attacker lean over her face. She coughed and a pink fluid spat out of her mouth. "You. . . you bastard!" she managed to say amongst the gargles of energon dripping out from the back of her throat.

Tarantulas smiled and kneeled on one knee next to hear head. He watched as her optics began to fade. "Aw, my sweet," he said coldly. "I didn't know you cared so much for me."

Vixen knew that she was ready for terminal stasis lock She gathered up her remaining strength and glared at Tarantulas one last time. "I'll see. . . see you in the in. . the inferno!"

Tarantulas grabbed her shoulders and kissed her forehead. He then slammed her head into the floor repeatedly and reveled in ecstasy at the sound of her head module cracking as her brain casing spilled onto the floor.

* * *

Swiftwing and Prowl glided down toward the medical shuttle that was nestled between the debris from the chaos that ensued from the renegade Predacon attack on the prison complex. Prowl spread his wings and gracefully transformed as he landed next to Primal. Swiftwing landed in his hawk-mode, transformed, and made his way over to Grimlock. 

The tall Neo-Dinobot leader turned to face Swiftwing. "This what you call secure?" he said. "Me not think so."

Swiftwing shook his head at Grimlock's comments knowing all too well that he was correct. He looked around at the devastation in the street and rubbed the top of his head for a moment. "No, Grimlock," he said softly with a look of disgust on his face. "I don't consider this safe." He turned his attention toward Grimlock and sighed. "Perhaps it _is_ time to let you deal with the situation in a 'manner' that you are all too _familiar_ with." Swiftwing rubbed his chin and paused for a moment to make certain that this was the action that he wanted to be responsible for taking. Finally, he gathered the strength to speak to Grimlock. "Gather your team together and head after Megatron. _Ark Haven_ is tracking them as we speak, and they seem to be headed toward the wastelands."

Grimlock laughed to himself and realized that all of his accusations about the Maximal High Command were true. "Finally," he said. "This take too long with your petty politics. This should have been handled _long_ time ago." Grimlock waived to Slag and Snarl to come over to the shuttle. He pointed to Snarl. "Tell Swoop, Sludge, and Slam Fist to meet us at the _Cobalt_ now!" He chuckled as he turned to face Primal. "You deal with this your own way. Me handle this _my_ way." Grimlock, Slag, and Snarl started running down the street and headed toward the shuttle hanger where their ship was stationed.

Prowl turned and faced Primal. "He hasn't changed one bit," he said with a smile. "He's still the hot-headed Dinobot that he was since the day the war broke out."

Primal rubbed the top of his head and sighed as he watched the three Neo-Dinobots disappear down the street. "He's seen a lot, as have you. I suppose that could harden a mech's spark."

Prowl placed his hand on Primal's shoulder and looked him in the optics. "We are who we are, and that doesn't change no matter what." He looked at the ruined street and the battered complex. "Looks like all hell broke loose here. What happened?"

Rattrap and Cheetor walked up to Primal and Prowl. "Looks like old Mega-puss had his cronies break him outta the slammer," Rattrap said. He turned to Primal and nodded toward the complex. "Communication's been reestablished. Seems that we've got Preds runnin' loose all over da place."

Swiftwing reached for the rifle strapped on to his back. He shoved a fresh energon cell into it and looked at Primal. "I need you to get the wounded back to Autobase."

Primal stepped toward Swiftwing and nodded in agreement. "Are they all loaded into the ship?" he asked.

A Maximal medic came over to Primal and Swiftwing and handed Primal a small disk. "The wounded are locked into their stasis pods and are in the initial phases of protoform-re-calibration," he said with concern. "Do you know what that is?"

Rhinox approached the gathered Maximals. "Yeah," he said. "That means they're being broken down to their initial protoform state so they can be properly reformatted." He looked at the medic with genuine concern in his optics. "Are some of them really _that _bad?"

The medic shook his head. "Yeah. They need to be shipped to the old Diaclone facility on the moon; that's the only place that we've currently got to hold such a large number of reformatting protoforms." He looked at Swiftwing. "Shockwave's old cloning plant probably is the best facility suited for an operation of this magnitude."

Swiftwing looked at Primal. "Take Rhinox, Cheetor, and Rattrap back to Autobase and load everything that is needed onto the _Axalon_." He then focused on the medic. "Inform your crew at Autobase that we've got Primal coming in with wounded."

Primal glanced over at Swiftwing. "What about the rest of my crew?" he asked with concern for his teammates.

Swiftwing stepped over some debris and switched his rifle to automatic. "Rockbuster, Blind Banter, and Snow Squall will stay here and help to keep the Predacons from escaping. We've got to make sure that the damage here stays contained."

The three Maximals grabbed their various sidearm weapons and walked over to the opening of the complex. The last medic walked down the ramp and gave a "thumbs up" gesture to Primal and Swiftwing indicating that all of the protoforms have been properly secure.

"There's one thing you need to know, Primal," Rhinox said. "We've got to be extremely careful with those protoforms."

Primal nodded. "You've got that look, Rhinox, that tells me there's something more."

Rhinox looked at Primal with an uneasiness that he rarely displayed. "There is. Should something disrupt the pods in the slightest form, their entire pre-programming could get shot to hell, meaning that their personality profiles could get wiped and we'd have to start from scratch."

Primal shook his head and smiled. "Well, that's just _prime_."

* * *

A blank look came across Megatron's face as he kneeled next to Vixen's broken body. He placed his hand on her shoulder and looked deep into her black optics that were completely void of any life. He wiped the gel-like energon off of her forehead and gently touched the top of her head that was split in half. The Predacons never actually understood the relationship that Megatron and Vixen possessed, but they knew that they cared for each other on some level. 

Tarantulas was the first to approach Megatron in his state. He stood behind the brooding figure and looked at him. _Admire my work, Megatron? _He thought. _Be glad I left her in such a condition that you can even recognize her._

Megatron sensed Tarantulas standing behind him. "_Who_ did you say?"

Tarantulas kneeled down by Megatron and looked at Vixen. "It looks as if there were at least three assassins here, Megatron." He looked up at Megatron who was still glaring at Vixen's remains. "We managed to kill the two in the control room, but the last one somehow got out and. . ."

"The Tripredacus," Megatron said. He then looked into Tarantulas's optics. "I presume that _they_ had something to do with this."

Tarantulas nodded and stood. "It looks like it was a sanctioned hit on our crew."

Scorponock walked over to Megatron and stood behind him. "So what are we gonna do now, boss? We've got the Tripredacus _and_ the Maximals. . ."

"We leave Cybertron as planned!" Megatron curtly interrupted. "By now the Maximal dogs probably have their lackeys on our trail, and the damn Tripredacus obviously has a vendetta against us as well; there's nothing left for us here now."

Bloodhound approached his leader and kneeled down beside him. "We've got the _Dark Heart_ on standby, sir. She's prepped for voyage as you previously suggested."

Megatron turned to face his loyal follower. "Excellent." He put one hand on Bloodhound's shoulder and gazed into his optics. "I need you to remain behind to continue the plans." He stood up and Bloodhound followed his lead. "I fear that things may spin out of control for our kin if I do not leave a presence behind. Do what you must to keep the Maximals _and_ the Tripredacus in check; let them fight each other out for a while, but do _NOT_ let them reach an accord that would compromise our true objectives. Is that understood?"

Bloodhound nodded understanding the importance that Megatron placed on his presence on Cybertron. "Yes my liege."

Megatron looked at the rest of his team that gathered around Vixen's corpse. "We leave within three breems!"

Dinobot rubbed his chin and walked over to Megatron. "How do we ensure that the Maximal vermin do not follow us to the ship?"

Bloodhound looked at Dinobot with a sense of purpose. "I'll take the _Decimation_ and make a run into the deep part of the wastelands. Hopefully they'll think that everybody is on the ship."

Megatron nodded. "Yes. We'll slip past them and make our way to the _Dark Heart_. Once we hit orbit, we'll head out to the outer rim as planned."

Tarantulas looked at Megatron. "I just need something from the lab."

Megatron smiled and looked back at Tarantulas. "Yes, Tarantulas," Megatron spoke. "Yes. Get your 'necessity' and hurry back here."

Tarantulas ran down the hallway smiling knowing that his plan had now been set completely into motion; there was nothing to stop him now.

Dinobot kneeled down next to Vixen's corpse and Megatron did as well. They both watched Tarantulas disappear around the corner. "Do you think it's wise to bring that treacherous _dog _with us?" Dinobot asked with concern. "If I were you. . ."

"And you are _not_, are you?" Megatron snapped. "The fact is that despite Tarantulas's questionable history, I wouldn't leave him alone here to run the operations on Cybertron even if he was the last mech alive on the planet. It's better off that I bring him with us than leave him alone. This way I can keep him in check under my care." Megatron glanced down the hallway as Tarantulas made his way back to the group. He then looked at Vixen's body once more and touched her head. "Yes. It is time indeed," he said softly.

* * *

The _Arbutus 8_ landed inside the hanger and rolled close to the massive starship known as the _Axalon_. The ship was both majestic and intimidating as the Maximals gazed at the its hull. Rattrap and Cheetor stood there amazed at the sight of the ship while Rhinox smiled. Primal turned to face his crew as they looked at the ship in amazement. 

"There she is, boys," Primal said. "Sat-com relayed that Opium's going to be accompanying us on our 'maiden' voyage as extra security for an added mission."

Rattrap glanced over at Primal as the docking clamps latched onto the receiving ports. "Whatcha mean 'added mission' boss?" he asked. "Aren't we doin' more than enough on this one?"

Primal stood up and started walking to the back of the cockpit. "Seems that the little 'incident' back at the prison gave the High Command a bad taste in their mouths. It looks as if we're going to be doing another transfer."

Rattrap shook his head and watched as Primal left the shuttle. "Sheesh," he replied to Cheetor. "They've got us runnin' all sorts of errands for them now, don't they?"

Cheetor smiled and made his way to catch up with Primal. "Lighten up, Rattrap. You really need to live a little."

Primal stepped out of the shuttle and began walking over to the _Axalon_. Through the venting steam he saw his old friend disembark from the massive spacecraft. The two Maximals approached each other and shook hands when they met. "It's been a long time, eh Opium?"

The white and blue Maximal nodded and laughed as he placed his other hand on Primal's hand. "Far too long, my friend." He looked at Cheetor who was making his way over to them. "How's the crew holding up these days?"

Primal turned around and smiled at Cheetor. "Same as usual I suppose." He looked back at Opium and they both made their way toward the _Axalon_. "So what's this extra mission that has the High Command all torqued out?"

Opium turned to look at Primal as they made their way past several maintenance droids. "The 'situation' back in Iacon obviously let some 'shady' characters loose, and the Elders really don't want to have another incident occur that's going to rattle the public's opinion on how we do our job." Opium pointed at an oncoming slide-lift that had a single stasis pod on it. There were six guards shadowing the lift and another Maximal walked directly behind the entourage. "I think it best if Magik explains the situation to you."

Primal became confused. "A hypnotist?" he asked. "But I thought. . ."

"That Mutates worked 'independently' from the Maximals?" the tall female fembot stated. She looked into Primal's optics and smiled as if she was rekindling something from their past. "Not _all _of us have a desire to steer clear from the Maximals, despite the popular opinion." She reached out her arm and shook Opium's hand. "I presume that _everything's_ in proper order?"

Opium smiled back at the brown and white Maximal. "As per your requests, Magik."

A small smile appeared in the corner of Magik's mouth and she looked at both Primal and Cheetor. "And you are going to accompany them I suppose?"

Primal huffed and crossed his arms. He walked over to the stasis pod and attempted to place his hand on it.

"I don't think so, scumbag!" one of the guards shouted at him. The remaining Maximal agents drew their weapons and pointed them at Primal.

"Yo boss!" Cheetor shouted. He went to grab his sidearm, but Opium grabbed his wrist in an effort to stop him.

"Easy there, kiddo," Opium said softly. "I think we're _all _a little on edge here."

Cheetor looked at Opium. "But. . ."

"It's okay, Cheetor," Primal said as he motioned toward the young Maximal to stay at ease. "Seems that I 'overstepped' my boundaries." He glared at Magik and rubbed the top of his head. "I apologize for whatever I may have done."

Magik looked at the lead guard and smirked. "It's fine, Gearbang," she said. "The 'Big Bot' here will be escorting our prisoner off of Cybertron."

Primal shook his head in confusion. "And just who is our prisoner?" he asked with a heavy tone of aggravation.

Magik tilted her head to the right and smiled back at Primal. "Protoform X, if you really want to know."


	4. Chapter 4

**Beast Wars Zero**

**Part IV:**

**The Sins Of The Past**

_817 Years Ago_

The explosion rocked the foundation to its very core. The girders rattled loose and sparks popped out of every electrical outlet in what remained of the entire complex. The monitors that had been active went to snow and then completely blank. The red emergency lights came on for a brief moment before they too were quickly killed without warning. There was complete silence in the bunker except for the continuous sound of muffled explosions off in the distance that showered the surface of Cybertron.

The complex was completely empty. Every known Cybertronian, either Autobot or Decepticon, and even many of the last remaining Loyalists, now calling themselves Predacons, had taken up arms against the invasion of the race known simply as the Dread. At this moment in history, many of the last surviving members of the Transformers were making their way into the core of Cybertron in their desperate attempt at a last stand against the brutal race.

Suddenly, there was an ear shattering noise as the roof of the lowest level of the bunker exploded and showered tons of steel onto the floor. Fire broke out in several areas of the level and quickly consumed what remained. There was no Transformer present to activate the safety protocols to eliminate the fire which spread rapidly. Several minor explosions were set off as the fire ate at the circuitry of the room sending debris across it.

However, although there happened to be no active Transformers present, there were two stasis pods at opposite ends of the room containing two of the most notorious Transformers in its history in complete paralysis. Each pod was full of green nourishing liquid that kept the protoforms alive and in deep hibernation. A large fragment of metal slammed into one of the pods and cracked the glass casing. The green liquid began to seep out of the hairline fracture and trickle onto the floor. The crack began to grow and spread until the casing finally gave way to the pressure from the inside. The entire contents of the pod spilled violently onto the floor.

Amongst the contents of the pod was a black protoform. The black, shapeless figure stayed motionless for a moment as it began to realize that it was free form its prison. It continued to gasp as if it was suffocating while it slowly clawed its way across the floor of the lab. It managed to prop itself up with both arms and it heaved out purple gel from the gaping hole where a mouth would be. Shapes that could only be described as red slits leaked pink foam onto what might have been its face as it vomited again.

The protoform rolled over and began to scratch at the center of its "body" as it continued to gasp over and over again. Another explosion rocked the lab and the black protoform went flying against the wall. It stayed motionless for a moment and then sank to the floor leaving a streak of black gel in its wake.

The second pod, in perfect condition, began to pulse and bubble as it began the reformatting process. The internal computer scanned the immediate vicinity for a suitable alternate form, but there was nothing that the computer could properly classify as appropriate. Without any proper surface probes available, the containment unit began to search its data banks for a proper alternate mode.

At that moment, another explosion shook the bunker and damaged the stasis pod. Two steel rods pierced the pod and the protoform as well. Realizing that much of the protoform was damaged, the computer purged the pod of the contents and of the undamaged portion of the protoform; the black mass writhed in pain as it was separated from over half of its mass as it spilled onto the floor.

The computer, now completely confused due to the lack of proper working diagnostic mechanisms, realized that there were two protoforms on the floor of the lab. In a last ditch effort, the computer network began the initial stages of the reformatting process for both protoforms. The protoform closest to it was first. A blinding ray of red light scanned the mass and mandibles sprang out form the containment unit and wrapped the form in a cocoon. The metal wrapping throbbed as it formatted the first protoform.

A second beam of light scanned over the second figure and did the same. Both protoforms were being reformatted with an appropriate alternate mode that was fitted to compensate for their lack of mass. What could only be described as screams came from both of the casings and filled the whole bunker as the process of reformatting continued.

* * *

_Present Day Cybertron_

Magik looked at the gathered Maximals and continued with her explanation. "Protoform X was originally a hybrid Decepticon experiment in combination technology at the end of the Great War. Unsanctioned by Galvatron, then the leader of the faction, the unit was part of a ten-mech team that was designed to become the next phase in combination-evolution, but its _actual_ function was to overthrow Galvatron and turn the reign of leadership over to a Decepticon council." She pointed to teh screen behind her which displayed an image of a blue spark. "The Council of Elders attempted to experiment with the mech, attempting to blend it with a portion of a spark from an ancient Decepticon, one that seemed to be immortal."

"Starscream," Rhinox said under his breath. "You wanted to blend the mech with Starscream's spark hoping to create immortal soldiers."

Magik smiled and continued, never actually confirming or denying Rhinox's comment. "There were several problems, so the project was scrapped. The mech, dubbed Protoform X, was then shelved and placed in storage."

Rattrap shook his head and sighed as he raised his hand. Magik nodded in his direction and he stood up to ask his question. "Ya know, that's fine and all, but what does our little 'history lesson' here today have to do wit our objective?"

Magik smiled and began walking over to the Maximals. "Indeed, Rattrap. What does this 'history lesson' have to do with the mission at hand?" She looked at all of the Maximals sitting there. Each stayed silent and gazed at her waiting for a response.

"See," Rattrap said. "Now why don't you just. . ."

"The fact of the matter is, Rattrap, that you really have no idea who you're dealing with," Magik snapped. "Although you _believe_ yourself to be 'educated' in events from our past, you're actually as ignorant as you are stupid!"

"Now wait just an astrosecond, sister," he began. "I've seen. . ."

"Shit!" she yelled. "You've seen shit! Period! While you run around gallivanting across Cybertron there are things here on the planet and its moons that would make your shell crawl! You take the peace for granted while many of us struggle keep it!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rhinox said in his deep voice. "We do _everything_ in our power to keep the peace. Just what the hell have you done?"

Magik reached behind her and grabbed a small metal fragment from a compartment. She then tossed it to Rhinox who caught it in one hand. "That, my dear Rhinox, is a fragment of a chassis that we 'took' from our last 'encounter' with a group that was attempting to steal Protoform X. That's from a mech not of this world, or so we believe."

Primal looked at the fragment and then at Magik. "What are you getting at?" he asked. "Our race has dealt with mechs. . ."

"You really don't understand, do you?" she said. Magik sighed and looked at the entire group who was focused on the metal fragment. "Unicron," she said softly. "We're dealing with agents of Unicron known as the Harbingers of Demise, and Protoform X is our best lead that we've got."

* * *

Grimlock looked at the energon stain on the floor of the hallway. He leaned over and wiped a single finger through it creating a pink streak. He stood up straight and rubbed his fingers together as he examined the texture of the fluid. He turned to look at Sludge and Slag who knew exactly what he was thinking. 

"Brain casing fluid, eh Boss?" Slag asked with a smile.

Grimlock nodded in his direction and walked over to the two Neo-Dinobots. "Someone wanted to make sure she not get away with the rest." He walked past the two figures and made his way down the hall. "We know Megatron have enemies, but why hunt lion in lion's den?" He paused for a moment and looked at Slam Fist who was making his way down the hallway. "Something not right with this."

Slam Fist nodded in agreement with his leader. "You have dat right, boss," he replied in his deep, bass laden voice. "What we got here is a hit by the Tripredacus." He pointed back down the hallway. "We got a body severed in two stashed away down da hall; it bares da markin's of a Tripredacus elite."

Grimlock growled in a low tone to himself and thought the situation out for a moment, but he could not make any sense of it. "So, Tripredacus hands Megatron over to us. He break out of our captivity, and now they hunt him down." He rubbed the bottom of his mouthplate as he thought harder. "So now Megatron is hunted by not just us, but by Predacons too."

Slag crossed his arms and approached Grimlock. "So why the hell didn't they just off him instead of handing him over to us?"

"Me not know," Grimlock replied. "But me have feeling that with this much heat on him, he not stay here."

"You really think that he'll wanna leave the planet?" Sludge asked.

Grimlock nodded. "Yes," he replied sternly He looked back at the stain on the floor. "He have nothing here to keep him now."

Slam Fist looked at his leader. "Den where to?" He looked at Slag and Sludge. "It's not like he's gonna have an easy time on da moons either."

Grimlock kneeled down and looked at the pool of energon on the floor again. "He go somewhere where he feel safe; a place where he know Maximals won't follow."

Slag and Sludge realized where their leader was talking about. "Earth!" Slag replied. "But how the hell. . ."

"Me no know," Grimlock replied. "But they probably have something figured out already."

There was a crackle over the comm-link in Grimlock's forearm and he activated it. He looked into it and saw Swoop's face. "Snarl and I found the _Decimation_, boss," he stated. "It's headed north, but it looks as if she's not in any hurry to get outta the area!"

Grimlock shook his head at Swoop. "It a decoy," he said. "Me bet that Megatron not on it, but me not willing to take any more chances today!" He looked at the gathered Neo-Dinobots. "Sludge and Slam Fist will stay behind until Maximals arrive. Me and Slag meet you outside of complex."

Swoop nodded at his leader's orders. "Gotcha, boss." He paused for a moment and then rubbed his forehead. "Um. . . There's one more thing, Grimlock." He paused for a moment to gather himself for his next message. "The new Prime is on the line and he. . ."

"Tell him me have more important things to do at moment, or that I really no care!" Grimlock snapped. "He not deserve to be Prime." He punched the nearest wall knocking down a large segment of it in the process. "Me can think of at least _one_ better Maximal to be Prime."

* * *

Dinobot approached Megatron who was overseeing the final stages of preparation for departure. He stood next to his leader and watched as Terrorsaur and Scorponock loaded the last of the supplies into the _Darkheart_. 

Megatron could tell just what Dinobot was thinking at that precise moment and turned to face his fellow Predacon. "Yes, my dear Dinobot?" he asked.

Dinobot looked for Tarantulas, but could not find him. "Do you really think that it's wise to bring along that treacherous dog, Tarantulas?" He turned and looked at Megatron with concern. "I think that he could severely jeopardize our plans if we. . ."

"My dear, dear Dinobot," Megatron interrupted. "Although your concern is admirable, at best, I have already stated that it is _indeed_ best that we bring along the 'treacherous dog' so that I can keep both optics on him; only a complete _fool_ would leave that sorry excuse for a Predacon unattended here on Cybertron!"

Dinobot knew that the word "fool" was directed at him and his reasoning; nobody questioned Megatron's orders without being put into their place, even if they were correct. Finally, Dinobot saw Tarantulas walking down the ramp of the ship. He leaned over to speak to Megatron. "I must strongly object on bringing him along, Megatron. He possibly could ruin the plans that. . ."

"Plans that _I_ have created!" Megatron snapped. He turned to face Dinobot and crossed his arms in the process. "I assure you that if Tarantulas, or any _other_ Predacon for that matter, should in _any_ way cause my plans to falter, they will be dealt with _accordingly_! Is that _understood_ my dear Dinobot?"

The Predacon sneered and nodded. "Absolutely," he said. "Far be it from me to. . ."

"Far be it from you indeed, Dinobot!" Megatron said angrily. "Yes. Just remember who saved your sorry chassis from extinction all those cycles ago!" Megatron then made his way over to the ramp of the ship. He turned around and looked at Dinobot. "Coming?"

Dinobot forced a smile onto his face and nodded. He then walked over to the landing gear and unclasped the magnetic docking clamps. He turned around and saw that Tarantulas was gazing at him with a calculated look, as if he were sizing him up for a fight.

_If you don't have the bearings to deal with this bastard, Megatron, perhaps it is finally time for someone to do so_, Dinobot thought.

* * *

The _Axalon_ broke free from Cybertron's atmosphere and came to a complete stop. The ship stayed motionless as the crew awaited flight confirmation from _Ark Haven_ to proceed to the moon. 

In the cockpit, Rhinox and Primal sat in the chairs in front of the view screen and gazed out into the vastness of space. Rhinox turned around in his chair and looked at Primal. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked.

"About what?" Primal said attempting to avoid the subject that he all too well knew Rhinox was talking about.

"About the _shafting _that you got from the Elders," Rhinox said.

Primal continued to look at the screen in an effort to ignore the conversation. "What's there to talk about?" He leaned over and began calculating the fuel capacity of the ship. "The Council made their decision, and that's all."

"That's all bullshit!" Rhinox said sternly. "Every Maximal _knew_ that you were next in line for the Matrix; even Prowl believed it. You were the favorite to. . ."

"Receiving the Matrix is not about playing favorites, Rhinox," Primal said. "The Elders believed that there was another Maximal who was worthy of anointment, and I guess that I just fell short."

Rhinox stood up and walked over to his friend. "Give it a rest, Primal," he said. "You and I, along with every other Maximal on this ship, knew that you were the best candidate for succession."

Primal turned to face his longtime friend. "But none of us has influence or any say in the matter, now do we?" He leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms. "Every Maximal has a chance at leadership; there is no Maximal singled out for the job."

Rhinox shook his massive head in disagreement. "That's all political scrap that they tell the masses. How many times did they turn to you to deal with their troubles?"

"What do you want me to say, Rhinox?" Primal blurted. "You want me to say that I'm pissed off at the elders?" His tone, and choice of vocabulary, suggested that he was becoming agitated with Rhinox.

Rhinox shook his head in disappointment. "You know something, Primal. For as long as I've known you I've felt that you should be Prime, and all of the Autobots and Maximals who you worked with saw just how much you resembled Optimus, in both actions _and_ words!" He stepped toward his friend. "As much as you're trying to stay humble about the situation, deep down in your spark you _know_ that it should have been _you_ to be the successor!"

Primal sighed and realized that his friend was right, although he was ashamed to admit it to him. "There's nothing that you or I can do about it, no matter how I feel." He looked at the screen again and shook his head. "The fact is that the Elders thought that there was some other Maximal who was better suited for leadership."

Rhinox looked at the chronometer on the wall of the bridge and smiled. "Let's take a look at the rest of the crew in the back," he said to Primal. "I'm not so sure how Rattrap is handling Cheetor since the kid's without his buddies."

Primal smiled and nodded at his friend. "Yeah. I suppose that without Snow Squall and Blind Banter to occupy his mind, Cheetor can be a handful."

Both of the Maximals left the cockpit and made their way to the back of the bridge. They paused for a moment at the exit and looked at each other. Primal gave a smile of gratitude to his friend acknowledging the fact that he appreciated the concern that Rhinox had. Once the door opened, they made their way down the hallway and stood in front of the elevator. Rhinox activated the door and it slid open. Both Maximals stepped inside of the elevator and Primal touched the key that would take the elevator to the cargo hold. The door slid shut and there was a low hum as it began the decent to the specified deck.

Primal looked at Rhinox and smiled. "Thanks," he said. "Sometimes it just gets. . ."

"Don't mention it," Rhinox replied. "I know that you'd do the same for any one of us in the same situation."

The elevator came to a slow stop and the two Maximal friends shook hands. As the door began to open, Primal faced the front of the room and smiled at the sight that he saw.

"_SURPRISE_!" several voices said. Opium, Cheetor, and Rattrap were standing underneath a sign that read "Optimus Primal." Rhinox gently shoved his leader in the back and laughed at the sight of total shock and happiness on Primal's face.

Primal looked at the sign and smiled at his entire crew. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?" he said with a grin.

Rattrap walked over to Primal and slapped him on the shoulder. "Well, we know that the Elders shafted you royally by not designating you as the Prime, soooo we decided that if you can't be the Prime, you can at least be the _Optimus_!" He handed Primal a can of Kremzeek Spiced Energon and smiled. "We thought about 'Primal Prime', but that didn't have such a nice ring to it."

Cheetor made his way over to the gathered Maximals and smiled. "We realize that the Elders made their decision with their own reasons in mind, but we all knew that _you _should have been next in line."

Primal turned to Rhinox. "Did you have anything. . ."

Rhinox laughed out loud; his laugh seemed to shake the entire room. "We all had this in mind." He cracked open his own can of energon and drank it down in what seemed to be one swallow. "It's the least that we could do."

Opium pointed to the sign and nodded. "So from now on it's Optimus Primal!" he said boisterously.

Primal smiled and took a drink from his can. At that moment it no longer mattered about not being designated as the next Prime. He realized that if being the Prime meant giving up friends like this, it was not worth it in the larger picture when all was said and done.

* * *

_Then_

The second protoform that was freed from its stasis pod was the first to begin to awake from the excruciating pain of the reformatting process. After the flailing had ceased, there was a scratching sound that came from inside the shell as the protoform began to break free from the cocoon. Suddenly, a set of claw-like fingers emerged from within the casing and quickly ripped away at the protective shell as if the form inside was suffocating. The purple hands that forced themselves out led to purple arms that were covered in green lubricant. Finally, a frightening figure, one that seemed to look more organic than mechanical, emerged from the reformatting cocoon. The grotesque being shook its head and entire body in an effort to remove any excess lubricant off of it. The haunting figure lost its balance and fell to its knees in its weakened state and placed both hands on its head. It slowly rubbed its optics and fell to its side as it realized that it was extremely short on energon.

Suddenly, the figure rolled over onto its chest and pushed itself back onto its knees. It tilted his head and listened intently. There was no sound inside or outside of the complex, but it was positive that there was a voice calling to it.

_My final child_ the voice said softly yet deeply. It seemed to shake the very ground that the figure was crouched upon. **_All of this. . . is for you. . . to consume. The sun, . . . the stars, . . . the moon, . . . but most off all, the planet itself_.**

The figure stood up and looked at the other cocoon on the opposite side of the room to see if there was a reaction by it. The voice continued as he made his way over to it. **_Never forget who you are. . . or why you are here. . . For it is I who am the barer of chaos. . . and it is you who will once again summon my inevitable return_.**

The figure went over to the shell, picked it up, and placed it on his shoulders. He then looked up and saw the gaping hole in the ceiling of the complex and began to scale the wall of the room to make its way out of the battered building. Once it finally made its way out of the devastated building and into the open air, it dropped the shelled protoform on the ground and coldly hissed at it. The purple creature then knelt down by it as the protoform began to scratch its way out of the casing. The figure turned its attention from the protoform, reached up with both arms, and looked into the vastness of the heavens above Cybertron. It seemed to inhale before it shouted one single word at the stars.

"**_FATHER_**!"

* * *

_Now_

Bloodhound clutched the navigational throttle tightly as the ship shook from the first shot by the pursuing Maximal shuttle. The red emergency lights activated and he feverishly attempted to keep the ship on track to his destination. It was difficult enough to pilot a ship of this magnitude alone, but doing it while being pursued was a more challenging task in and of itself.

Bloodhound looked at the forward observation screen and noticed that it was severely cracked; the image of the ground in front of the shuttle was distorted and off-centered. He took his hands off of the navigational controls for a moment to switch monitoring camera angles, and the ship drastically veered to its left. He managed to switch the angle of the outboard camera, but it was not the correct one that he was looking for.

Another blast rocked the ship and threw Bloodhound forward into the navigational consol; his head hit off the panel and he smashed the directional controls of the ship. Sparks began to fly from the consol as well as from the view-screen in front of him. The emergency lights began to shut down due to the lack of power and he smelled burning plastic and metal as the control deck began to fall apart.

"You son of an Autobot!" he yelled at the ship. "You better hold together long enough for me to. . ." His tirade was interrupted by a third blast. This time, Bloodhound fell out of his seat and he felt the entire ship bounce off of the surface of the planet. He grabbed his shoulder which absorbed much of the brunt of his fall, and he looked at the navigational computer. "The hell with this!" he yelled.

Suddenly, there was a crackle as the audio communications became enabled. Bloodhound attempted to stand, but fell down again as the ship started skimming the surface of the wastelands. He crawled over to the communication consol in an attempt to boost the signal, but he was thrown forward by the shock of the sudden bump that jolted the ship.

There was a voice that came out over the speakers that were still functional in the room. "This is Swoop of . . . ximal High Command," it partially said. "Our orders. . .bring your ship to a halt. . . any means necessary. Should. . .tinue at . . . present speed, we will be forced to. . .main reactor bay and. . .cally disable the ship."

Bloodhound looked around for something that he could use to help him escape. He stumbled over to the door of the elevator and ripped it off of its hinges and began to bend it in half. He took the folded door and ran over to the stairway that led down to the main exit. The ship veered to its right and sent Bloodhound tumbling down the stairs and into the doorway of the exit. He wrapped the bent door around his body and opened the compartment in his forearm which he used to hack into the ship's computer. He punched in a seven digit numerical code into his keypad and brought his arm close to his mouth. "Computer: Highway To Hell," he said.

Instantly, the ship began to explode from the rear and make its way forward. He kicked open the exit door and wrapped the metal tightly around his body. Then, he jumped out of the doorway and violently landed on the ground. He rolled end over end for what seemed forever, but he finally stopped. He managed to turn his body enough to see the _Decimation_ explode off in the distance, and he hoped that he escaped unnoticed.

He laid there silently for a moment as he watched the Maximal shuttle land near the wreckage of the ship, and that is when he realized that this would be his only opportunity to leave before the Maximals showed up in full force.

* * *

The Predacon ship rocked violently as it began to break the gravitational field of Cybertron. Those on board the ship began to wonder if it was strong enough to make its way into orbit. All of the occupants were strapped into their chairs and held onto their safety straps as if their sparks depended on it.

Dinobot looked over at Megatron with a scornful look in his optics. He then looked at Terrorsaur who was flying the ship as best as he could. _We'll all die in this rust-bucket_ he thought to himself as he felt every circuit in his body vibrate to the point where he thought he was going to come apart.

Scorponock grabbed his abdomen and realized why he hated space flight so much, besides the artificial gravity that wreaked havoc on his neural processor. "Aren't the Maximals going to notice us?" he asked loudly over the roar of the engines.

Terrorsaur shook his head but did not dare take his optics off of the computer readings that teetered dangerously close to the "Overheating" readings on it. "Probably, Scorp!" he yelled. "An unsanctioned launch from a relic like this doesn't occur every orn!"

Scorponock swallowed down some energon that began to make its way up his throat. "Then why the hell don't we use the damn cloaking device that we installed?"

Megatron looked over at Scorponock and shook his head. "Absolutely not, you dolt!" he shouted. "Using a device of that caliber would severely drain our reserves while we're breaking through the atmosphere. Odds are that it would burn itself out and we'd have to deal with containing a fire!" He looked at Scorponock who was getting sicker by the moment and questioned his logic for bringing such a warrior on this type of endeavor. "Would _you_ like to get up and put out a fire _now_?"

Scorponock shook his head and rubbed his optic visor. "No!" he said queasily.

The ship continued to push its way out of the atmosphere. Waspinator reached over and activated the artificial gravity field in the floor and gave a glance at Megatron. "Wazzzpinator activate gravity field, Megatron."

"Excellent, my dear Waspinator," he said. "Yes, gentle-mechs! We are almost there!"

Dinobot looked at Megatron again and sneered. _You fool_, he thought. _You're going to get us all killed!_

Tarantulas looked over at Megatron and shook his head. _You buffoon_, he thought to himself. _If we don't die in the Decepticon relic, I'll kill you myself!_

Megatron starred out the forward observation window and smiled. He realized that he almost had victory in his grasp and that the Maximals would be helpless once the ship broke free of Cybertron's atmosphere. He then began to laugh to himself, and the laughter grew louder as he saw the vastness of space approach the ship.

* * *

The communication alarm went off inside the _Axalon_ indicating that there was a priority-one message being transmitted to the ship. Rhinox placed his drink down on the table and ran over to the nearest control panel that was tied directly into the main computer. He activated the relay-link between the panel and the main computer causing the video screen to activate. The Maximal symbol appeared for a moment and a familiar face materialized on the screen. "Prr. . . um . . Optimus," he yelled to his friend. "I think you better come over here!"

Primal, now being accustomed to the name of Optimus Primal that his crew gave to him, quickly made his way over to the consol. He looked at the screen and saw an old friend on the monitor. "Leo!" he said. "Fancy seeing you. How long has it been?"

The Maximal known as Leo smiled at the sight of his old friend. "I wish we could meet under better circumstances, Primal," he said.

Cheetor nudged his way in front of Rhinox and smiled at the monitor. "It's Optimus Primal now, Leo!" he said happily.

"What did he say?" Leo asked.

"Never mind that," Optimus Primal said as he smiled at Cheetor. "What's so urgent?"

Leo rubbed his chin and shook his head. "Not too long ago there was an unsanctioned launch at the edge of the wastelands. The ship, according to scant formation that we've gathered, is a Decepticon Scorpion-Class ship; a relic one may say. We believe, thanks in large part to Grimlock and his team, that Megatron is on board that ship."

Optimus Primal shook his head and was taken back by the words that his friend said. "How on Cybertron did that happen?" he asked. "I thought that. . ."

"How that happened is not going to help us now, Primal," Leo interrupted. "Intelligence states that there's one location that he could be making his way toward, and that's the Sol System!"

All of the Maximals stood there in shock as the words sank into their audio receptors. Each of them knew that the Sol System was a restricted zone after the final stages of the Dread War, and that entering it was a complete violation of the Pax Cybertronia. Rhinox activate the mapping system and scanned the atmosphere of Cybertron for any vessels.

"We've got a signal," Rhinox stated as he brought up the coordinates of the ship. "Bearing sector B-W: one-nine-nine-six."

Rattrap looked at Optimus Primal. "That's directly in front of us!"

Leo nodded at the crew of the _Axalon_. "Correct. We're asking you to pursue it and bring Megatron back to Cybertron."

Optimus Primal shook his head. "But our current orders state that. . ."

"Currently we've got an escapee renegade Predacon loose," Leo said firmly. "The Maximal High Command needs that ship brought in, despite your current primary objective."

"And what about the stasis pods?" Cheetor asked. "It's not as if. . ."

"Unfortunately we're going to have to compromise that portion of the mission," Leo stated. "Personally, I would have loved to leave you out of this, seeing that you're responsible for Maximal protoforms in such a state, but that's not the case here."

Optimus Primal nodded in agreement with Leo. "Understood," he said. "We'll engage in pursuit immediately!" Then the communication link was severed and the Maximal symbol appeared on the screen. Optimus Primal turned to face his crew and addressed them. "Looks like the mission parameters did a double-take on us." He looked at Opium and shook his head. "Magik's not going to be too pleased with this, now is she?"

Opium smiled and shook his head. "Not in the least, but that's too bad," he said sarcastically.

Optimus Primal turned and looked at both Rattrap and Cheetor. "Make sure that those protoforms are secure."

Cheetor snapped to attention and a look of seriousness appeared on his face. "Right on, boss-bot!"

Rattrap cracked a smile at the younger Maximal and slapped Cheetor on the shoulder. "We'll make sure that these protos aren't goin' anywhere."

"Excellent," Optimus Primal said. He turned and looked at Rhinox. "Open a comm-link with the Predacons."


	5. Chapter 5

**Beast Wars Zero**

**Part V:**

**The Taken Path**

The Predacon ship settled in the upper region of Cybertron's atmosphere with a lumbering effort. It seemed to take every ounce of energon to finally make it out of the gravitational pull of the planet. Each Predacon on the ship, including Megatron, was relieved that they had succeeded in fleeing Cybertron, although not everyone was pleased with the decision to leave.

Dinobot sat in his chair and pondered the reasoning behind his leader's motives for leaving Cybertron. He could not think of a reason for heading to such a backwater planet in the Sol System that had been, for some strange reason, deemed "off limits" by the Autobots after the war with the Dread. He grabbed his chin as he read the streaming data that appeared on his screen about their destination: Earth.

_What in the Inferno does Megatron want with a planet like this_ he thought. _Besides the obvious fact that this planet is abundant with energon, it's plagued with those disgusting flesh-vermin!_ Dinobot knew that there happened to be many other planets that Megatron could go to that contained ample energon deposits, but he did not see the logic behind going all the way to Earth.

Across the bow of the ship sat Terrorsaur. Suddenly he snapped to attention and shook his head. _Why me_ he asked himself. Realizing that he could not hide the information that came to him on his consol, Terrorsaur turned around in his chair and faced Megatron. He rubbed the top of his head with both hands and the look of concern that appeared on his face seemed to grow. "Um. . . Megatron?" he forced out of his vocal processing unit.

Megatron turned his attention to the scared Predacon and slightly smiled at him. "What is it now, Terrorsaur?" he snapped.

"We're being hailed by the Maximals," he said. "It seems that. . ."

"Incompetence!" Megatron yelled. "Sheer incompetence!" He stood and approached the large screen in front of the bridge. "Patch them through to us _now_!"

The screen flashed white and suddenly Optimus Primal's face appeared on the it. Megatron sneered at the sight of Optimus Primal and then laughed at the image of him for a moment. "Why Primal," he said in his arrogance. "I'm touched that the Maximal High Command decided to send you after me. You seem to be their favorite errand mech these orns."

"Don't be so shocked, Megatron," he said back to the Predacon. "You are being ordered to shut down your operations and. . ."

"Ordered?" Megatron said as his laughter began to die down. "Whose orders? Yours? The Elders? Those bastards that refer to themselves as the Tripredacus?" A grim look formed on the renegade's face and all of his sarcasm died. "I take orders from _nobody _Primal, and certainly not from a Maximal _dog _like yourself!"

Optimus Primal crossed his arms and kept looking at Megatron. "Think whatever you may, Megatron, but we've been ordered to bring you back to Cybertron."

Megatron turned to Waspinator and he immediately cut the audio from the communication with the _Axalon_. "Is the transwarp drive powered up yet?"

Waspinator nodded. "Shezzzz almozzzzt, Megatron. A ship of this sizzzzze. . ."

"Then let me know when it's complete," he said as he curtly cut off the Predacon. He then turned his attention back to Optimus Primal and reestablished the audio connection. "Understand one thing, Primal. I have absolutely _no _intention of returning to Cybertron so I can be locked away like a rabid Terrorcon!"

Optimus Primal shook his head at Megatron. "Then you'll. . ."

"Enough of this mindlessness!" Megatron shouted at Optimus Primal's image on the screen as he clenched his fist. "You'll have to follow me into _hell_ _itself_ if you have any intention of stopping me, my dear adversary !" Megatron quickly cut the transmission with the _Axalon_ and turned his attention toward Terrorsaur. "Cloaking shields up!" he yelled. He then looked at Dinobot who was manning the main disruption array batteries. "If the Maximals so much as make a move toward us, I want them blown out of the sky! Is that understood Dinobot?"

The Predacon warrior smiled in response to Megatron's orders. "Yes, sir," he said coldly. His claws glided over the forward battery activation device and began charging them for firing. _Idiot_ he thought as he adjusted the targeting computer.

* * *

On the _Axalon_, Optimus Primal watched as Megatron's ship began to cloak. He slammed his fist on the railing in aggravation. "DAMN!" he shouted. He then turned to look at Rhinox. "Where are they?" he asked. 

Rhinox frantically adjusted his sensors and scanned the vicinity for the Predacon ship. "According to their last trajectory, I'll be able to create a sonar-echo that can at least give us a general location."

Optimus Primal nodded at Rhinox. "Good," he said. He then looked at Rattrap. "What do we have for weapons?" he asked.

"Not too much, boss-bot," Rattrap replied. "We've got a load of defensive capabilities, but not much in offensive stuff."

Opium got up and ran over to another consol and began adjusting some equipment. "We do have an ion-disruption dish used for long-range probing." He looked over at Rhinox who was completing the last touch on creating his sonar-echo. "If we link the power cell to the transwarp driver. . ."

"And reverse the negative output, we should be able to create a negative-plasma cannon," Rhinox said. He smiled at Opium who began adjusting the appropriate equipment. He looked at Optimus Primal and nodded. "Sonar-echo is done, Optimus."

"Do it!" he said quickly.

Rhinox turned around and activated his make-shift tracking device. He closely watched the monitor looking for a hint of the Predacon ship. Suddenly, he saw an echo bounce back and the screen lit up red. "Got them!" he shouted. "Sector seven-two-seven. They're directly in front of us!"

Optimus Primal smiled at the vastness of the open space that he saw on the view screen. "Opium. As soon as they drop their cloak-shield to go into transwarp, I want you to open fire!"

Opium smiled back at Optimus Primal. He adjusted a few dials and closely watched the monitor in front of him for any sign of the Predacons.

* * *

Back on the Predacon ship, Waspinator watched as the transwarp displacement generator reached full capacity. He turned to Megatron to inform him of the development. "Tranzzzzwarp generator at full capazzzzzzzzzzzzzity, Megatron." 

Megatron smiled and sat back in his chair. He rubbed the bottom of his chin and chuckled for a moment. "Begin transwarp displacement!" he shouted.

Waspinator turned to his consol and activated the transwarp displacement array, and slowly the cloak-shield began to deactivate.

* * *

Opium saw the right moment that he was patiently looking for and opened fire. The ion dish on the bottom of the _Axalon_ unleashed a powerful white beam of light that streaked across the open space and slammed directly into the transwarp-hub of the Predicon ship. All of the Predacons fell to the floor and were stunned by the activity, but worrying about escaping from the Maximals was now the least of their concerns. 

The negative-plasma beam pierced the make-shift Predacon ship and hit the transwarp core, cracking the containment field causing the transwarp displacement field to expand. The displacement field rode the wake of the negative-plasma beam and encased the Maximal ship; the force of the impact knocked all of the Maximals down and caused the non-prepared transwarp generator to overload.

The displacement hole appeared directly appeared in front of both ships with a violent expansion. Suddenly both Maximals and Predacons felt as if they were frozen in place as they watched helplessly as the events unfolded in front of their optics; both of the ships disappeared into the blue and black hole and the displacement vortex disappeared in a brilliant white flash as it snapped shut.

Both ships streaked through the transwarp displacement tunnel with immense speed, but both parties knew that there was indeed something horribly wrong about this trip.

Onboard the Predacon ship, the transwarp core reached critical mass; it was not designed to take the stress of creating a transwarp field for two ships.

**Warning. Warning. Transwarp core has reached critical mass.**

The computer, in a last ditch effort to save the ship, ejected the transwarp core from the ship and into the displacement field. It slowly seemed to make its way past both ships, and then suddenly it exploded in a green flash. Teh shockwave from the detonation caused both ships to topple end over end and were engulfed in the green glow of the transwarp discharge.

Finally, there was a white flash and both ships came to an immediate halt; every member of each crew finally felt that they could move. Onboard the _Axalon_, Optimus Primal shook his head and looked at Rattrap. "Where are we?" he asked.

Rattrap frantically scanned over the information that rapidly and randomly streamed across his computer's monitor. "I don't know, boss," he replied. He shook his head in amazement as he opened up the navigational charts and attempted to place the current location with anything that had been mapped before. "Nothin's showing up on the charts at all!"

Optimus Primal shook his head in amazement. _Just what the Inferno happened back there_ he wondered to himself. Suddenly, he was knocked to the floor of the bridge by a blast from the Predacon ship. He propped himself up and looked at the monitor that showed a single planet and its two moons. "Where's Megatron?" he shouted over the alarms.

Opium brought up a window on the main screen and it displayed the Predacon ship. "She's listing not more than six degrees off our port." He scanned the Predacon ship and noticed something. "They're completely vulnerable; their entire navigational net and propulsion line have been compromised due to the power overload."

"But it seems that their weapons are still on-line," Cheetor said. "Hold on, heroes!" The ship rocked from another blast by the Predacons. Each of the Maximals braced themselves for the impact. "They've got. . ."

Cheetor didn't have time to finish his thought. The force of the ensuing blast threw Cheetor forward and his face slammed into the monitor on the consol and he was momentarily forced off-line.

The alarms went off again and Opium activated another window on his monitor. "We've got some problems, Primal!" he shouted over the clamoring of the alarm. "Looks as if the stasis pod containment area is reaching critical instability!"

Optimus Primal rubbed his face and thought of the only plan possible, despite how desperate it sounded. "Dump them," he said.

Opium turned around as if to question his order. "But. . ."

"They'll stand a better chance up here in orbit than when we slam into the surface of the planet, which pretty much looks inevitable right now!" Optimus Primal said loudly. "In their fragile state, the force of an impact like that could permanently compromise their logic cores!"

Opium nodded in agreement and activated the stasis pod chamber's main computer. He accessed the emergency protocols and initiated the "purge" program to disperse the pods into orbit. One by one the pods were sent into a stationary orbit around the planet until they were all out of the ship, including the one that held Protoform X.

Optimus Primal knew that he was taking a risk by placing the Maximal protoforms into danger. "May Primus forgive me," he said softly.

* * *

The explosion threw the Predacons around as if they were mere rag-dolls. Terrorsaur and Scorponock were thrown into each other ane they were both knock unconscious. Tarrantulas wiped the leaking energon from his optics and gave Megatron a scowl. Dinobot forced himself up and he hung on to the railing for balance. In the background, Megatron kept laughing. 

Dinobot turned around and brought up whatever data he could in order to figure out some type of exit strategy. He frantically ran multiple calculations that all pointed to the same result. "We're headed toward the damn planet!" he yelled to Megatron, who refused to acknowledge his information. "Do you _hear _me?"

Megatron smiled as he stared at the image of the planet growing larger on the main screen. He stopped laughing for a moment and turned toward Dinobot. His hysterics quickly turned to seriousness. "Blast them out of the sky!" he yelled. "Make sure that they suffer the same fate as we do." Megatron continued to watch the monitor as the Predacon ship began to enter the planet's atmosphere.

* * *

The final shot from the Predacon ship slammed into the hull of the _Axalon_ and killed all power to the ship. Opium desperately tried to reroute the necessary power to the reverse thrusters, but there was nothing else that he could do. "That's it, Primal," he said. "We're gonna enter the atmosphere directly behind the Predacons!" Suddenly, Opium's consol exploded. The amount of raw energy that eminated from the eruption completely tore through the Maximal agent, vaporizing all of his internal mechanics and reducing him to a heap of smoldering metal taht faintly resembled the Maximal thathe once was.

Optimus Primal grabbed onto the railing near the command chair and looked at the main screen. He watched as the Predacon ship began to become engulfed in red flames as it streaked across the atmosphere of the alien planet. He turned to Rhinox who grunted as the ship began to violently shake as it skimmed the surface of the atmosphere as well. "I'm sorry old friend," he said softly.

Both ships began to create a string of smoke that intertwined as they quickly cut through the cloudless blue sky and slammed into the surface of the unknown planet.

* * *

The Maximal Command Center located in Iacon was silent. Every Transformer who witnessed the events unfold on the screen stood there motionless as they desperately tried to comprehend what transpired in front of them. Several Maximal data-processors tried to calculate the damage that was taken to the ships prior to their disappearance into the transwarp displacement field, but the data that they came across was like nothing that they had ever scanned before. 

Leo stood there on the elevated floor and shook his head as he held on to the railing. _What the hell just happened_ he thought to himself. He had just spoken to Primal several breems ago, and everything seemed relaxed and composed. Now he was dealing with sheer chaos. He looked down at his control team and pointed at the screen. "Just what in the name of Unicron happened up there?" he said.

A red and white Maximal turned around in his chair and he looked up at Leo. "We're not sure, sir," he said. "All of the collected data suggests that they entered an unstable standard transwarp displacement vortex that was headed for the Sol System, but long range monitors indicate that they did not have polar-end confirmation, suggestion that they must have either over or under-shot their intended destination area."

Leo began to make his way down the steps and over to the Maximal. "So as of right now, we have no clue where they ended up at, correct?"

"Correct," the young Maximal said. "However, there is some other. . . disturbing information that we have come across." He turned back around in his chair and pulled up another window on his monitor. Leo leaned over and looked closely at the information on the screen. "Normally, I wouldn't be worried about a transwarp jump like this, but there was some other. . . 'anomaly' that came into factor."

Leo turned his head slightly and looked at the Maximal. "What do you mean by that?"

The Maximal pointed to the screen. "When the _Axalon_ first fired upon the Predacon ship, they seemed to hit it directly in the transwarp jump-driver, and as a result the containment core was breached, which created an expanded field. The jump-driver rode the wake of the blast back to the _Axalon_ and simply calculated that it was an extension of the Predacon ship, which resulted in both the expansion of the transwarp vortex and of ships entering the displacement vortex simultaneously."

Leo nodded in agreement and looked closer at the monitor that was playing back some of the footage of the scene. "Okay," he said calmly. "Then what?"

"That's where things get a little complex and a lot of speculation comes into play," the Maximal said. "As best as we can tell, the Predacon ship's transwarp core became unstable, so the computer purged it form the ship. It then exploded, creating a negative transwarp vortex field within the standard transwarp displacement field."

"So what the hell does that mean?" Leo said. "I'm really not following you now."

"It's hard to tell, sir," the Maximal said nervously. "We've really never dealt with data, or situations, like this."

Leo crouched down next to the Maximal and looked into his blue optics. "Give me your best guess, kid."

He turned back to the consol and rubbed his chin. "There are several scenarios that I can come up with, but it would be speculation, at best."

Leo shook his head. "I'll take them."

The Maximal pointed back at the monitor and Leo stood up again. "First, the transwarp explosion could have propelled them further than they originally calculated, and they could be at the other end of the universe for all we know." He paused for a moment and entered some additional data into the computer. "Second, the transwarp explosion could have created another vortex inside the original displacement field, and, theoretically, they could have been ripped apart by the intense speed."

Leo shook his head. "Damn," he said. "I hope there's something positive that I can take to the Council and the Prime."

The young Maximal sighed and shook his head. "Another possibility is that they avoided the explosion, but that is unlikely due to their proximity in displacement. I'd say that they were caught in the explosion and were killed by it."

Leo rubbed his optics. The thought of sending some of his best friends to their deaths was not setting so easily in his spark. "Come on kid," he said to the Maximal. "There's got to be something you can come up with for me."

The young Maximal, who has only been assigned to the Iacon Command Center for under a vorn, sat back in his chair and rubbed his temple for a moment. "To be honest sir, these are your best possibilities." He scratched the top of his head nervously and looked at Leo in an unsettling manner. "However, there are a few long range possibilities that I can come up with, but I'd be laughed out of a job if I told you them."

Leo stood up straight and patted the Maximal on the shoulder. "I'll take them," he said. "Drop them off on my desk as soon as you can, and leave out the technical jargon for me, okay?" He smiled at the Maximal and gave him a thumbs-up gesture.

The young Maximal smiled and nodded at Leo. "You'll have them on your desk tomorrow before your shift starts." The young Maximal watched as Leo made his way out of the control room. He turned back around and began working on his theories with hope that he could find something to alleviate Leo's fear of losing his friends.

* * *

The two Predacons finally stopped their running when they realized that they were far enough away from Iacon. The leaned up against the vacant abandoned building and one of them slid down on the ground. 

"This is slaggin' ridiculous!" the first Predacon said as he looked up at his partner. "When was the last time _you_ ran from Maximals?"

The other Predacon looked around the corner to see if they were followed. He scanned the nearby vicinity for any Maximals who may have been pursuing them from their escape and realized that the coast was clear. "I don't," he said softly. "This is a different situation altogether, if you really want to know."

The other Predacon stood up and rubbed his knees which were sore from running while he was low on energon. "So what are you going to do now, Kross?" he asked.

The blue and white Predacon glanced back at his partner. "I'm not waiting around here, that's for slag's sake." He rubbed his chin and thought for a moment. "The Maximals are going to be scanning all of Cybertron for us, so that pretty much leaves us with one option, doesn't it Magmatron?"

The other Predacon nodded. "Indeed, Kross. Indeed." There was something sinister in his voice as he began to process the information. "Not only will the Maximals be searching for us, but those bastards on the Tripredacus will send their dogs after us too!" He smiled at Kross for a moment. "I suppose I know where you're headed to again."

Kross nodded back at Magmatron. "I'm sure that you do."

Magmatron looked up into the sky. "That's a difficult venture seeing how we've been banned from entering the Sol System for almost ten vorns now. Neither the Maximals _nor_ the Tripredacus will allow you to. . ."

"To hell with both of them!" Kross said loudly. "I couldn't give an Insectacon's rear skidplate about what they think!" he then smiled back at Magmatron. "And what about you?"

Magmatron shook his head. "Well, I've uncovered a little secret that seems to have been _forgotten _since the Dread War ended." He looked back at Kross and smiled. "It seems that our little adventure together ends here."

Kross nodded and stepped backward. "Indeed it does," he replied. "Indeed it does."

* * *

Leo and Liger stood in front of the Council and finished the debriefing of the situation that had occurred. Next to the Council stood Magik and the new Prime. Leo stepped forward for his concluding remarks about the situation. 

"Currently, I have several Maximal engineers working on the situation and they feel confident that they can prove that both ships have survived the situation." Leo then turned off his data-pad and awaited the comments from the Council.

The center Elder stood up and smiled at Leo. "Thank you, Leo. However, I currently believe that it is best to keep the situation under wraps and consider both the Maximals and Predacons dead."

Liger took two steps forward and looked at the Council. "No way!" he said. "Primal's done nothing but risk his _ass_ off for this Council, and this is the thanks that he gets in return?"

Leo put his hand on Liger's shoulder. "Calm down, Liger. This will. . ."

"This is _bullshit_!" he said loudly. He then turned to Leo. "This is _twice_ that the Council has shafted Primal this orn!"

Magik stepped forward into the light and nodded at Leo and Liger. "We understand that this is a difficult orn for you, being so close to Primal. However, you must understand that the situation is out of our hands."

"Indeed," the second Elder stated. "Magik is right. To venture off to Earth is a violation of the pact that we signed with the Earthlings after the Drear War. To even enter the Sol System would be too dangerous at this moment."

Leo shook his head. "But what if there _is _a possibility that they are all alive? Or what if Primal and his crew died and Megatron is alive? Are we just going to sit back and let him take advantage of the situation?"

The new Prime stepped toward the gathered Maximals. His wings behind his back unfolded and he stopped in front of Leo. "As the Elders stated, this is out of our hands. Should the Earthlings run into Megatron, they will have to deal with him on their own!"

Liger smiled and shook his head. "Wonderful! But what if. . ."

"Phoenix Prime is right," Magik said. "We can not go to the Sol System without proper clearance." She turned around and faced the Council. "Personally, I hop the explosion was enough to kill them that way Protoform X no longer is a threat."

"Indeed," the center Elder said. "That _was_ part of Primal's objective."

Leo crossed his arms and shook his head in amazement. "The hell with this!" he said. "If you are set on writing Primal off as dead, or leaving him to die, then I guess there's not a _damn_ thing we can do to change your minds." He then walked all the way up to the Elders' desk and leaned on it. "But let me tell you one thing. If this comes back to bite you in the ass don't you _dare_ come crying to me to clean up this shit!" He walked over to the elevator and looked at Liger. "Let's get out of here, Liger."

Liger smiled at Leo and walked over to him. "Yeah, this place stinks." The elevator doors opened and both Leo and Liger stepped inside of it. Leo pushed the button to go to the ground floor and the doors shut.

Phoenix Prime and Magik turned to face the Council of Elders. They kneeled down and looked up at them. "What now?" Phoenix Prime said with heavy concern.

The center Elder stood up and looked at both of them. "They must not be allowed to return to Earth, no matter the cost. If our plans are revealed, then all that we've fought for will be for nothing. When sufficient time has passed, we will send out probes to search for Primal and Megatron, but now we attend to other issues."

"Indeed," Magik said. "Everything is in place for the revival of our species."

"Excellent," the Elder said.

* * *

_Tarantulas's Laboratory_

The first stasis pod was ripped open from the inside, and out of it emerged a tall, slender, brown and black female Transformer. She looked up at the ceiling, rubbed her head, and then softly slid her hands down her neck, over her breasts, and onto her thighs.

She delicately stepped out of the pink energon that had pooled by her feet and made her way over to the other two pods which were venting containment steam, indicating that they were now opening. She lifted the lid off of the second pod and saw her sister lying there in the pink containment fluid. She put her arms under her sister's neck and knees, and then she gently lifted her sister out of the pod. She proceeded to walk over to the metal slab in the center of the room and placed her unconscious sister on it. She gazed at her for a moment and looked into her white optics. She then turned around and made her way to the third pod. She kneeled down, opened it, and took the female Transformer out of the pod and placed her on the metal slab next to her other sister.

She tilted her head and gently touched the face plates of her sisters. The sensation of being with her sisters gave her a warm feeling that she could not explain, and then she smiled at them. She took her index finger and gentlytraced the facial feature of the mech. _So pretty_ she thought to herself. She then made her way over to the window and looked at the sky as her sisters began to come on-line.

As her sisters woke from their birth, she continued to look into the vastness of the sky above her home. _We are here, father, to do your bidding_.

_**Continued in**_

_**Transformers: Apocalypse Song**_


End file.
